New bus lanes come into operation on Belfast's Upper Newtownards Road

The new lanes will operate on the Upper Newtownards Road as part of the Belfast Rapid Transit (BRT) scheme.

New bus lanes have come into operation as part of changes to traffic in east Belfast.

The new lanes, located between Sandown Road and Knock Road, operate on the Upper Newtownards Road as part of the Belfast Rapid Transit (BRT) scheme.

They operate both ways during peak hours from 07:30 to 09:30 BST and from 15:30 to 18:30 Monday to Friday.

The Department for Regional Development (DRD) said the bus lanes "will help to provide a more reliable service".

A spokesperson said: "Each new measure that supports our bus services helps to promote public transport and provide an attractive travel alternative for the public.

"These additional bus lanes will help to provide a more reliable service, which will benefit the increasing number of bus passengers choosing to use this route."

'Drive people away'

The BRT will link the city centre with west and east Belfast and the Titanic Quarter. It is expected to be fully operational by 2017.

The east Belfast route will link the city centre to the park-and-ride facility in Dundonald via Albertbridge Road and Upper Newtownards Road.

The east Belfast rapid transit route will link the city centre to Dundonald via Upper Newtownards Road and Albertbridge Road

Doreen McKenzie, who runs a travel agents in Ballyhackamore, said she and other traders were worried about the impact the new bus lanes could have on their businesses.

"The concern from traders is that if it's going to become very difficult to drive and park in Ballyhackmore shoppers won't come," she said.

"We've met with DRD, they sent a letter round all of the traders to let them know they're trying to reduce congestion.

'Phased in'

"This is the option they have due to budget constraints, but the worry we have is that in the initial stages it will just create confusion and drive people away from the village."

Robin Totten, project manager for the BRT, said he had had "very useful engagement" with traders in Ballyhackamore to take on board their concerns.

"I think most of the businesses in Ballyhackamore would accept that they want to grow their business," he said.

"There isn't really the space to do that bringing in more car drivers, there just isn't the space to park on the street.

"Therefore we're trying to bring in a system which attracts people and can attract people from all across Belfast to place like Ballyhackamore, the Holywood Arches, Andersonstown and other urban villages along the routes."

The department said the new bus lanes were being "phased in over the next few years" in advance of the BRT system becoming operational, to allow the public to become familiar with the new road layouts before it is fully introduced.

The department also said it intends to change the operating hours of the new bus lanes to 12 hours per day from 07:00 to 19:00 once the rapid transit system begins.

It added that this change to operating hours will be subject to further public consultation.