Great Victoria Street: 'Closing the station is a big loss for me'

Belfast's Great Victoria Street train station will permanently close on 10 May ahead of the move to the new Grand Central Station.

The train line through the city will remain open.

Bus services will continue operating from the Europa Bus Centre, and passengers have been told to use Metro or Glider services, cycle or walk.

People arriving at the station on Friday told BBC News NI it would cause some inconvenience.

'I know the city centre'

Norma is partially sighted and needs to be accompanied when travelling

Norma, who travels, from Armagh regularly said the closure would change everything for her.

"I'm partially sighted, so public transport - I rely on that quite a lot and the buses - they're not as comfortable and they are not as easy for me to travel on - trains are best for me," she said.

"I'm going to have to travel further - I know my way around the city centre, if I'm taken out of that - I can't travel by myself I have to be with somebody - it just makes it more difficult, a huge loss."

Simon is excited to see the new Grand Central Station when it is completed

Simon travels to work every day from Bangor and said while he preferred to use Great Victoria Street, he was not concerned about the closure.

"I'll have to walk in from Lanyon [station] - I like to walk through town, my work involves regeneration so it's nice to go round the town and see what's going on, you know - walking from Lanyon is a bit more of a boring walk," he said.

"I am excited about the new station and to see the new station when it's done."

Lanyon Place, Botanic, City Hospital and the new York Street station will all continue to serve the centre of the city.

'Alternatives won't work'

Jordan uses the train every day for work and said the alternatives aren't going to work for him

Jordan travels into Belfast City Centre from Lisburn and said the closure would mean making adjustments.

"The alternatives are not going to work for me," he said.

"I'm going to have to get the bus or something but it'll be a big adjustment for me...I don't know what to do for a couple of months."

Mya works right beside Great Victoria Street station

Mya was shocked to find out there would no longer be trains stopping at Great Victoria Street.

"I could get a bus but my work is right there [at the station] so it was easy coming straight to here - if I go to another station that's another 15 minutes on my journey - not ideal," she said.

Grand Central Station

Grand Central station will partial open in Autumn 2024

The new station is situated near the Europa Bus Centre and Great Victoria Street station.

It will have 26 bus stands and eight railway platforms as well as facilities for bicycles and taxis.

Translink say it will cater for up to 20 million passenger journeys a year.

• New images show progress of Belfast transport hub

The hub is expected to partially open in autumn, with train services moving to the new station and 16 operating bus stands.

The whole project is due to be completed in 2025.