Belfast Glider Rapid Transit Vehicle at Connswater
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- čas přidán 19. 04. 2018
- I'm down at Connswater Shopping Centre in East Belfast to check out the new, sleek, futuristic looking, Belfast Glider Rapid Transport Vehicle. This Connswater 'Meet and Greet', is one of many roadshows being staged around Belfast to introduce Glider to the Belfast public.-
( As part of Translinks' ongoing programme of Glider engagement, they are hosting a range of public events across Belfast over the coming weeks,- Spring/Summer 2018, to give the public a chance to experience the new service and see a Glider vehicle for themselves. )
'The introduction of the Glider marks a new modern more efficient mode of public travel for Belfast. It is set to further enhance the image of the city and inspire even more people to choose public transport.
Glider….the new, effortless and smooth way to travel. Glide through city traffic and arrive fresh and ready on a modern and high tech mode of travel, providing direct cross-city services between the east and the west of the City and linking into Titanic Quarter. Metro bus feeder services will connect Glider passengers to the Dundonald and Colin residential areas
Representing an investment of over £90m, Glider will deliver a high quality, high capacity, bus-based rapid transit system that makes way for a transformational change and a more connected City, bringing people and communities together.
'Key Glider Facts
The services will operate with a new, modern eco-hybrid fleet. Catering for more passengers than conventional buses, passengers will also enjoy a new ticketing system which will speed up getting on and off the vehicle. Extensive bus priority will also be in place along the route facilitating fast and reliable journeys. Metro bus feeder services will connect Glider passengers to residential areas in the Dundonald and Colin areas.
• In passenger service from September 2018
• 7-8 minute intervals throughout most of the day
• 25% reduction in public transport journey times
• Unified fares with Metro with a focus on ease of use and great value
• Operates primarily along bus lanes with selective bus priority at traffic signals
• CCTV for safety and security
• Real-time passenger information.'
' Glider will provide fast and reliable services connecting East and West Belfast, Titanic Quarter and key locations of economic and social activity in the city centre and along the Glider corridors.
The Vehicle
With a capacity of around 105 people, the vehicle interiors will be constructed using high quality materials and the engines will utilise the latest hybrid diesel/electric technologies emitting low noise, low vibration and low levels of pollutants.
Passenger Priority
Glider passengers are set to benefit from extensive bus lanes along the routes. Where appropriate, Glider services will also get priority at traffic signals making way for fast and reliable services.
Glider vehicles will have onboard information screens providing real time journey information and audio visual next halt and destination announcements. Free on-board Wi-Fi will also be provided.
The Glider will replace most of the main Metro services on the routes that it serves: Metro 4 in East Belfast and Metro 10 in West Belfast. Some Metro services, which serve destinations off the Glider routes, will continue to use parts of the Glider routes and therefore benefit from the increased bus priority.
When Glider comes into operation Metro bus feeder services will be provided with appropriate interchange facilities and co-ordinated timetables. The interchange facilities will be provided at Dundonald Park & Ride in the east and at Colin Town Centre Transport Hub in the west.'
Gliders are built for Belfast by Van Hool in Belgium. This prefered company is a highly regarded independent Belgian manufacturer of buses, coaches and industrial vehicles. Van Hool has supplied Exqui.City vehicles to public transport systems across Europe including Barcelona, Luxembourg, Malmo, Bergen and Metz. This order for the Exqui.City is Van Hool’s first in the UK and Ireland and the first time they have supplied a right-hand drive vehicle.
I was well impressed by this amazing Glider vehicle and the modern roadside bus shelters installed to service it. If the Belfast Glider lives up to its' name I believe it will immediately become a real asset to the new and vibrant Belfast we all wish to see. Well done Translink. - Auta a dopravní prostředky
That is the best looking bus I have ever seen....WOW!! I would love to see them here in Rochester NY real soon... thanks Tom
Yes Mike, this was when they were just brand new. They seem to be working well after a few initial teething problems, turning etc
Great that Belfast is catching up with the rest of Europe! Those clamp free wheels are a great idea too 😁
I really hope these buses are a success Robert. Thanks for calling in.
Very informative Tom. Thank you.
Thanks Joan. Let's hope these vehicles will take cars out of the city and do what they are being billed as doing as regards journey times/accessibility etc
Unreal public transport, great you got that interview
Yes it is rather different looking, a bit space age?
Yes I love it when folk agree to an interview because they can usually tell it better than I can but some people are totally reluctant at being on camera. A lot of people have turned me down but that's life. Thanks for calling in LilyandRose.
Very nice indeed,let's hope the vandles stay in the house and leave the bus shelters alone👍very well made Tom,you done a good job their,👍👏
Hey Andy Yes indeed let's hope they do. And as always thanks for your very supportive comments!
just brilliant thank you for showing love it
Hey jeanette thanks so much for that very encouraging post!
Just a wee bit different from the old Trolly buses I remember Tom hahahaha... my god where has all the time gone? Have to say it looks fabulous.
I wish it well. i agree it looks really good. The guy Lindsay who i interviewd told me that he had been involved for 10 years getting this project up and running!
Yes Ryan i look at our children and often wonder where di they come from. Our eldest lad talks down to me now and it's like i was the child and he was the dad! lol then I can be a bit stupid crazy and forgetful! lol
They look very similar to the 'bendy buses' we had here in Swansea. The council spent millions changing the road layout to accommodate them, and then millions changing it back. Oh, and a few people were knocked over and killed by the buses while they were running. Hope your buses work out better.
Link to a video of them on my channel: czcams.com/video/8pcI_egCPlE/video.html
Yes BadgerBothered 1 many people are refering to them as bendy buses. Hey thanks a lot for the link. I'll have a look. As you say I hope our Translink public bus people have got this right and we don't have your bad experience in Swansea!
6:57 Wow that plane was low 🤣
Oh yes Jack they fly very low ( almost treetop level, on the last entry stage for George Best City Airport! ) Best wishes from the Belfast Castlereagh hills.
I’ve only seen them from the other side but never over Belfast that low. Have a nice day👍
They fly very low over Victoria park E Belfast every day Jack.
@@TomMcCleanwill definitely try plane spot there thanks
If you go to the Ikea at Holywood Exchange, just off the Bangor road, you can sit in and eat very cheap meal and have endless cups of coffee and free Wifi and watch the planes arrive and take off. .... Brilliant.
I am one of those people who think these are a bad idea. With the old buses I am able to get into Belfast in about 40 minutes on 1 bus. I now have to take 2 buses and the travel time has increased to approx 50 minutes. How is that more reliable and convenient for people ? I also suffer from social anxiety and it's hard enough for me to get on a bus but I do because I have to get around. The new Glider buses don't have normal seats that all face forward, meaning I now have to sit looking at people directly for my entire journey. Unfortunately this buses are not for me. I now have to look into a different bus to now get me into Belfast.
Hey Jen thanks for dropping by with your comment. Thanks for taking the time and thanks for being honest enough to tell us how you feel about these buses. I'm just an ordinary person like yourself. I have no connection to Translink.
I'm adopting a wait and see approach to the Glider. I just don't know how it will pan out. Major changes in the way we do things always brings about disruption, annoyance, discussion/debate and a dividing of opinions based on personal experience and preference.
I get what you are saying about the seating arrangements. The journey times should have been cut for everyone. If this is not happening there is a serious problem. You have certainly highlighted what are real personal problems with this service. I can only wish you best wishes with your struggles to get into town. Take care.
i wanna get on one now
They start running in September.
thanks
I was on one today
Hi Doled great to hear from you about the Glider. Best wishes
Thanks mate
what about south to north belfast?
Good point Sean. I can only imagine that Translink will see how this goes, sort out any problems and then if it is getting the thumbs up from the public, I don't see why it won't do north south across Belfast. It would be a sensible step two. Thanks fro dropping by.
Bet these dont get up the falls and twinbrook!
They go from Dundonald to the top end of the Falls healey100austin. So far so good.
You sound like Gerry Kelly
That's a new one to me, notbenny. People usually say I sound and look like Timmy Mallet. lol
Just a fancier flexi bus ffs
That's what many people are saying FV.
I'm neither for them or against them. I will wait and watch and see what happens.
So it's basically a big bus. Why didn't they use the buses they already have to do these new routes across town? Why wait for a new bus? The bus lanes are a disaster as they are not coninuous and and currently also used by private taxis...The whole system is just a confused mess...Typical N Ireland. By the way that bus does looks cheap....looks like it might start falling apart after a year.
I hear what you are saying T4C. You are putting these points to the wrong person.
This system has worked in other European cities so they are trying it here.
European cities are far more advanced when it comes to traffic and pedestrian routing and integration. What Greater Belfast is doing is trying to take an ineffective system and add bits here and there trying to make it better. Best thing to do would be to knock the whole place down and start again only this time get a proper planning and transport department before starting anything
'Best thing to do would be to knock the whole place down and start again
only this time get a proper planning and transport department before
starting anything'.Ok.
Lindsay is not from translink...…..ok get your facts right...….its the department for infrastructure who is paying for it...….not Belfast city council and not translink
Hi Alex Ferguson I apologise for not getting my facts right.
I do try my best when making my videos but I do make mistakes because I am just an interested amateur and I am only human. Even the media get it wrong on occasions and they are the professionals.
I was unaware that Lindsay was not from Translink. He did not stop me when I introduced him as such.
I'm sorry if I led folks to believe that it was BCC or Translink that were paying for this project. It was not my intention to mislead. Obviously it is being paid for by Government money via the taxpayer. However, Translink and BCC as key players/stakeholders would have had to have been fully informed and have given their backing to the whole project,