Will the new night buses save Belfast's nightlife?

It's been a common refrain in recent years - if you go out in Belfast, you better have a plan to get home.

Taxis can be hard to get due to a continuing driver shortage. Buses stop at an early hour. And with the cost of living continuing to squeeze both punters and those running bars and restaurants, it can all add up to less people going out and more businesses struggling to make ends meet.

But there was some optimism on Tuesday, when Translink announced details of a one-year pilot scheme that will see night buses running on Fridays and Saturdays from the end of this month.

The move, expected after initially being announced in October, was widely welcomed, especially among those who had been calling for more late-night public transport as a way of boosting Belfast's nightlife.

But just how much can these night buses change the game for bars and restaurants that want Belfast's city centre heaving late into the weekend night?

For Belfast's first night czar, it's a major step - but now it's up to the public to get onto those buses.

There is hope night buses could boost Belfast's nightlife - but the city's night czar said it's a case of "use it or lose it"

What are the benefits of Belfast night buses?

"Use it or lose it," said Michael Stewart, who had said increasing late-night public transport was one of the major goals of his two-year term upon being appointed in 2024.

"If we don't use these facilities they may well look it in a year's time and say it wasn't worthwhile."

Mr Stewart said it took 17 months of meetings and engagement to get the scheme, which is co-funded funded by the Northern Ireland Executive and Belfast City Council, to this point.

"This got cross-party support at the assembly, the executive and Belfast City Council," he said, adding that it would be a major boost to a substantial chunk of Northern Ireland's total night-time economy.

That night-time economy generates an estimated £3.7bn every year and supports almost 114,000 jobs, according to research conducted by Ipsos.

Mr Stewart also said there would be a major impact for anybody working from the evening until the next morning.

"Whether they're coming in for a night out, whether they're working in the night-time economy, they will now hopefully be able to get home safe and sound."

He also believes the scheme will make people, especially women and girls, feel safer.

Mr Stewart pointed to a survey in which 60% of respondents said they would use night-time public transport if it was available, while 30% said they didn't go out in Belfast because of the perception of violence.

He stressed that this is a "perception".

"Belfast is a safe city, the late-night transport will help that and hopefully more people will use it - one, for work and, two, for having a good night out."

Belfast's night czar said the buses being extended for a year was a "win-win" but now it's all about getting "as many people onto those buses and trains" as possible, especially over the Christmas period.

What do campaigners and hospitality think of the night-bus pilot?

Translinks late-night bus and train services will commence on 28 November

Boyd Sleator, the co-founder of Free the Night which campaigns for improvements to Belfast's nightlife, said Translink's late-night bus pilot was a "positive step".

However he said it needed to go further, with buses being put on to later hours, and also highlighted an as yet unaddressed factor in the health of Belfast's night life - money.

For him, going out in Belfast is just "expensive", with cost of living concerns impacting whether people can go out at all.

He also said it wasn't just about customers, but about people who work in bars, restaurants and other areas of the night-time economy.

He added: "Belfast needs to address space for cultural events, we need to make the city more inviting, embrace more late-night things like dancefloor culture.

"These are things that liven a city."

Peter Ringland, managing director of the Ringland Group, which operates Amelia Hall and Town Square in the city centre, said he was "delighted" with the night bus pilot.

"We stop food service at 21:15 but are looking to extend it to 21:45," he said.

He did however add that it "needs to be done in conjunction with increased policing and a higher level of police visibility because some people don't feel safe in the city".

The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) told BBC News NI its Safe Transport Team works closely with Translink to "ensure passenger and staff safety across the public transport network".

"Additional late-night services contribute to those working late, or socialising, getting home safely," added Belfast Area Supt Finola Dornan.

How do taxi firms feel about the night bus pilot?

Since the Covid-19 pandemic taxi companies have struggled to retain drivers.

Stephen Anton, a manager at Fonacab, told BBC News NI the Translink announcement is "good to see".

"There is no reason the two can't work together," he said.

"It is a good thing people have more choice and a good thing that it is all year round.

"I don't think it will affect us negatively."

He said that because buses work on set routes and times, "people might want to get a taxi instead".

"With more options people are more likely to go out."

When will the Belfast night buses run?

The scheme will begin on Friday 28 November 2025 with buses running on Friday and Saturday evenings.

Metro Services will operate between midnight and 02:00 GMT, Ulsterbus services departing Belfast for towns and cities across Northern Ireland will also depart later.

At present, the last services on Belfast Metro bus routes leave Belfast City Hall at or before 23:00 local time.

Additional rail services will be in operation across all lines over the Christmas period.

The full details and timetables can be found on the Translink website.