Translink is continuing to bring its Better.Connected strategy to life by creating welcoming, inclusive transport spaces that strengthen connections with the communities they serve.
The latest example can be found at Downpatrick Bus Station, where a new community mural is transforming the station into a vibrant welcome for customers while celebrating the creativity and imagination of local young people.
As part of Translink's When Walls Speak Welcome programme, pupils from Downpatrick Primary School and St Brigid's Primary School worked alongside local County Down artist Kieron Black to explore what public transport, connection and community mean to them. Inspired by the children's own drawings, words and ideas, the mural reflects their vision of Downpatrick through colourful imagery, including butterflies, nature and messages of welcome, creating a lasting first impression for everyone arriving in the town.
The project demonstrates how investment in transport infrastructure can deliver lasting social value, creating places that are not only functional but also welcoming, reflective of local identity and shaped by the communities who use them.
John Brown, Area Service Delivery Manager for Downpatrick, said:
"It's been fantastic to watch the reaction from passengers as the mural has developed. People are stopping to admire it, taking photographs and commenting on how much brighter and more welcoming the station feels. The fact that the artwork has grown directly from local children's ideas makes it even more meaningful. It gives everyone a real sense of pride and creates a wonderful welcome to Downpatrick."
Gary Dunlop, Project Manager, Translink, said:
"This project is a great example of Better.Connected in action. By working with local schools and inviting young people to explore what connection, community and public transport mean to them, we've created something that is authentic, welcoming and rooted in local identity. It's about creating places that people are proud of and strengthening the relationship between our transport network and the communities it serves."
The bus station mural is the first stage of the project. Over the summer, two further satellite murals will be created at Downpatrick Primary School and St Brigid's Primary School before the completed artworks are officially unveiled with pupils, teachers and the local community in early autumn.
The Downpatrick project is the latest chapter in Translink's When Walls Speak Welcome programme, demonstrating how community engagement can enhance transport infrastructure by creating welcoming spaces, celebrating local identity and leaving a lasting legacy for future generations.
