Printer Friendly Version

METROPOLITAN CASTLEREAGH

Metropolitan Castlereagh is served by the orbital A55 Outer Ring which links the
A2 in the east at Tillysburn with the M1 in the south west at Stockman’s Lane. The Outer Ring is bisected by a number of major roads that provide radial routes to/from central Belfast, such as the A24 Saintfield Road/Ormeau Road and the A20 Newtownards Road. Metropolitan Castlereagh is not served by any existing rail routes and relies on buses and taxis for public transport.

Non-Strategic Road Proposals

Revision to Proposal MCH 16 Non Strategic Road Scheme

Representations received in respect of the original Proposal MCH 16 as set out in BMAP remain valid.

Supporting text as set out on page 41 in Part 4, Volume 5 of the District Proposals - Castlereagh is still applicable to this proposal and additional supporting text is highlighted below.

The actual land take required to facilitate the implementation of the Quarry Corner – East Link Road is identified on Plan Amendment No. 1 Clarification Map No. 31 - Quarry Corner – East Link Road and EWAY (Rapid Transit Scheme).

The Quarry Corner – East Link Road will be provided in conjunction with the EWAY rapid transit scheme and will facilitate traffic relief to immediate areas and an alternative to the existing A20 through Dundonald. The Quarry Corner – East Link Road will also provide access to the Park and Ride site at Millmount
(Ref. MCH 18/02)

Rapid Transit Proposals

The actual land take required to facilitate the implementation of the EWAY and SuperRoute Rapid Transit Schemes is identified on Plan Amendment No. 1 Clarification Map No. 31 - Quarry Corner – East Link Road and EWAY (Rapid Transit Scheme) and Map No. 32 - SuperRoute.

The implementation of a bus based rapid transit scheme known as EWAY in the Newtownards Metropolitan Transport Corridor (MTC) within the Plan period will be
the first stage of the delivery of a rapid transit network for the BMA. Between
Quarry Corner and East Link Road EWAY will share a new carriageway road link with general traffic (Ref. MCH 16) with general traffic. This scheme will facilitate the re-use of the former Comber railway line to provide significant sections of segregated operation.

The SuperRoute rapid transit route will link Belfast to Cairnshill in the Downpatrick MTC and will terminate at the Park and Ride scheme at Cairnshill (Ref. MCH 18/01) Detailed planning of this rapid transit scheme will be carried out during the Plan
period and the extent of development will be reviewed following implementation of the EWAY scheme.

Park and Ride Sites

Two Park and Ride Sites are identified in Metropolitan Castlereagh in conjunction
with the Rapid Transit Schemes. The Park and Ride site at Millmount will serve the EWAY Rapid Transit Scheme and the Cairnshill scheme will serve the SuperRoute Rapid Transit scheme.

Policy for the protection of Transportation Schemes is contained in Policy TRAN 2 in Part 3, Volume 1 of the Plan.

Belfast Metropolitan Transport Plan (BMTP)

In addition to the proposed road improvements and the implementation of the Rapid Transit scheme as set out above the Belfast Metropolitan Transport Plan also propose a number of transportation initiatives which will specifically benefit Castlereagh and are as follows:

• The development of Quality Bus Corridor (QBC) routes to/from Belfast City 
  Centre that would serve both the main transport corridors towards 
  Newtownards and Carryduff but would also serve corridors comprising 
  Castlereagh Road and Cregagh Road;

• The provision of an informal Park and Ride at Carryduff; and

• The roll-out of a Route Management Strategy along the A55, A24 and the A20 comprising a series of measures that would improve the safety and efficiency of the strategic network serving Castlereagh.

In order to encourage greater use of public transport and more walking and cycling, thereby reducing car dependency, a range of measures are proposed which include:

• The development of an integrated network of Quality Walking Routes and cycle routes; and

• Improvements to local bus services including the QBC network and improved
  frequencies on core local routes to Carryduff.

BMTP also proposes a number of measures aimed at improving the quality of the urban environment in the Castlereagh area. This includes proposals for traffic calming on the non strategic road network to, where appropriate, discourage traffic from using local roads, improve road safety and reduce the impact of traffic.

Addendum - Strategic Road Scheme

The following proposed strategic road scheme is expected to be delivered outside the Plan Period, however, it is considered that protection should be afforded to ensure that this scheme is not prejudiced by development within
the Plan Period.

The A24 forms the strategic road link in the Downpatrick corridor and links Carryduff with Belfast. Proposal PA 05 allows for the construction of a new link between the A24 at Cairnshill and the A55 at Newtownbreda to provide relief to the existing A24 Saintfield Road and the A24/A55 Outer Ring junction. It is expected that implementation of this scheme will be outside the 2015 Plan Period.

The actual land take required for the proposed realignment of the A24 Saintfield Road between Cairnshill and the A55 Outer Ring Road is shown on Plan Amendment No. 1 Clarification Map No. 40 - A24 Saintfield Relief Road (between Cairnshill and the A55 Outer Ring Road).

Policy for the protection of the strategic road scheme as set out above is contained in Policy TRAN 2 in Part 3, Volume 1 of the Plan Strategy & Framework.