'Works on the Boyne Bridge makes travel very awkward'

Alan and Joan Bell from Bangor say the traffic is "not great at moment"

One of the main travel routes in and out of Belfast city centre has been closed off and will remain shut for a year to allow the dismantling of the Boyne Bridge.

A commuter said the congestion is making travel "very awkward".

Alan and Joan Bell from Bangor said they have struggled to get across the street as the traffic "completely blocked" the crossings.

"You had to make your way in between the cars even though the pedestrian light was on," Alan said.

On Friday, a last-minute legal bid to save the bridge which was built in 1936, failed.

Instead, it will be demolished as part of a re-development of the area around the new Grand Central Station.

Durham Street, on which Boyne Bridge sits, closed on Saturday at and will remain closed for a year

Translink have warned of delays for motorists.

Alan added that he would still travel into Belfast from Bangor, but the congestion has "made it a lot more awkward".

Christopher said the works haven't put him off travelling to Belfast

Christopher Douglas from Ballygawley said the congestion wouldn't stop him from travelling into Belfast city centre.

"I'll still come down but I would only be coming on the bus, I definitely wouldn't come in the car," he said.

The court was told there are no “imminent” plans to take down the bridge

'Shifting the goalposts'

People gathered on the Boyne Bridge on Friday evening to protest the decision

The bridge was built in 1936 but has its origins in the 17th century at the time of King William III.

The Department for Infrastructure announced earlier this week that the road on which the bridge sits, Durham Street, would close on Saturday at 08:00 BST.

Work to remove the bridge is expected to start soon afterwards.

The Ulster Architectural Heritage Society (UAHS) believes the bridge is a vital piece of Belfast history that should be preserved.

Their lawyer argued in court that all planning conditions relating to the redevelopment of the area have not yet been fulfilled.

There have also been some local protests held to preserve the bridge.

Belfast's Grand Central Station opened to the public six weeks ago

Translink’s lawyer told the court that all of the company’s commitments had been met.

He questioned the timing of the legal challenge by UAHS saying the planned removal of the bridge had been known “to all and sundry” for the past seven years.

He accused the society of “shifting the goalposts” in terms of its objections.

The court was told there are no “imminent” plans to take down the bridge.

The judge, Mr Justice McAlinden, accepted there was public interest in the issue of the bridge, and said it was "important that the matter was brought before the court", but he rejected the legal case put by the heritage society.

He said there was “no evidence” of a breach of planning conditions relating to the bridge.

No order was made for either side to pay legal costs in the case.

UAHS said they will continue their campaign to save the bridge.

They will not be appealing the court decision but are stepping up their bid to have the bridge "listed" and therefore preserved in its current form.

Spokesperson John Anderson told BBC News NI: "The court ruling could be classed as a defeat, but actually we would be very positive about it because the judge was very complimentary at the end of his submission, and it leaves us lots of room to move ahead with the listing, which is our ultimate goal."

The new £340m station opened for buses six weeks ago but the train terminal has yet to open.

The railway track in central Belfast has been reconfigured to accommodate the new Grand Central Station.

The transport hub has been designed to bring bus and rail services together under one roof in a state-of-the-art new complex.

Grand Central has 26 bus stands and eight train platforms.

Translink said it expected the new station will cater for up to 20m passenger journeys a year.

It will be next year before the entire development, including public realm work, is completed.

The transport hub has been built behind the previous bus and rail stations serving central Belfast - Europa buscentre and Great Victoria Street train station, which have both now closed.

The Europa buscentre, which dates back to 1991, shut down last month.

The new hub is a short walk away and is equipped with more modern facilities, more platforms and more frequent cross-border trains to Dublin are planned.

In a statement, the Translink said the appointed contractor will "seek to preserve key elements of the [Boyne] bridge".

"We are continuing to engage with the local community on an arts and heritage programme which will utilise these materials for future projects," it continued.