Belfast metropolitan area and transport plans unveiled

Environment Minister, Angela Smith, and Regional Development Minister, John Spellar, today announced the publication of the draft Belfast Metropolitan Area Plan (BMAP) and Belfast Metropolitan Transport Plan (BMTP).

Launched this morning the plans set out a "sustainable approach" to meeting the wide range of developments needed for people living, working and visiting the Metropolitan Area in the new millennium. Sectors covered include housing, retail, commerce, regeneration, infrastructure and urban design.

The Ministers stressed that integrated land use and transport were crucial aspects of both plans, and pointed out that officials in both government departments worked together to ensure that transport infrastructure has a high priority when considering planning for land use.

Angela Smith said the plans represented "a significant milestone" in influencing the quality of the urban and rural environment, both for today’s citizens and for future generations. She said: “BMAP will supersede a number of existing development plans covering about 40 per cent of the Northern Ireland population.”

Commenting on the Transport Plan, John Spellar said: “The transport proposals are based upon the levels of funding and strategic direction provided by the Regional Transportation Strategy and accepted by the Assembly in 2002." He said that the BMTP had been developed to ensure the integration of transport and land use, providing a "balanced and sustainable system" for the region up to 2015.

Proposals in the Transport Plan include enhanced public transport, improved rail and bus services, increased park and ride facilities and bus corridors. Enhanced walking and cycling provision will also help reduce reliance on private cars.

The plans recognise that road building in isolation will not solve the area's transport problems and proposes that a "toolkit" of innovative traffic management techniques and modern technology will be used to ease traffic movement and make the most of available road space.

However, the plan also identifies a number of highway improvements necessary to remove bottlenecks on economic arteries and support planned development.

The BMTP is one of three transport plans related to the implementation of the Regional Transportation Strategy (RTS).

It covers the six council areas of Belfast, Carrickfergus, Castlereagh, Lisburn, Newtownabbey and North Down, which make up the BMA.

(SP)