‘Generally positive’ response to Glider buses in Belfast

The verdict among passengers of the new Glider bus service in Belfast was generally positive on its first official day of operation.

The £90 million system operates a cross-city G1 route between east and west on distinctive long purple buses.

There is also a G2 route from the city centre to the Titanic Quarter.

On Monday morning, the service suffered some initial delays.

One man from Andersonstown, in the west of the city, claimed it had taken him 50 minutes to get to the city centre. He did not wish to give his name.

Chris Conway, Translink chief executive, said it had been a busy day with an early start – but all services were running well, every seven minutes around Belfast.

He added the technology had worked well, but more communication was needed with passengers around the new ticketing system and that was causing teething problems around timeliness of services.

“Generally the feedback has been very good and we hope people will work with us as we take some of the learning points from the next couple of days and build the service up to a full high-frequency service,” he said.

“That all adds to a few delays this morning but they will quickly work their way out of the system.”

For £3 off-peak or £3.50 at peak, you can travel all day, he added.

On Monday afternoon, the bus stop at Chichester Street in Belfast city centre was abuzz as both passengers and interested onlookers gathered.

A small army of Translink staff were kept busy with inquiries about how to use the ticket-less system, where passengers tap their passes against a machine.

Driver trainer George Weir, 48, was among the Translink workers on hand.

He described the new buses as “lovely to drive”, and said most of the feedback he had heard so far was positive.

“With it being a new service, there is a wide range of experience among the drivers, so I am just here in case anyone is a bit nervous, and also to help any passengers who have questions,” he said.

Student Cory Mallon, 17, was impressed he could charge up his phone on the new buses.

“I got it into town earlier for Tech [college], and now I’m getting it home,” he said.

Pensioner George Brown, 75, had driven to the Dundonald Park and Ride from North Down to try out the new service.

“It’s too early to say how good it will be yet,” he said.

“I feel a bit sorry for the traders, with their deliveries not able to park near their shops.

Ben McMullan, 80, had a bad experience with one of the trial runs of the new buses the previous week.

“I had been at the door but the driver just drove off, one of the Translink staff said once they are in drive mode they have to go,” he said.

A short distance away, the May Street bus stop was distinctly quieter.

Elizabeth Whitley was among passengers who disembarked after travelling in from the east of the city.

“It’s a very handy because I am not prepared to pay for car parking.”

Meanwhile, Norman Morrow, 66 – from south Belfast, said he hopes they expand the service to his part of the city.

“I’d like to see a service run north/south/east/west because at the minute, from where I live, if I want to go to east Belfast, I have to get a bus into the city centre, and then get another bus. It would be nice if that process was made a bit simpler,” he said.