Metro (Belfast)

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Metro
Translink Metro logo (pink wordmark).svg
Translink Metro Bus, Wellington Place, Belfast (July 2023).jpg
A Metro Wright StreetDeck Electroliner battery electric bus on Upper Queen Street in Belfast, July 2023
Parent Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company
Founded1973 (as Citybus)
2005 (as Metro)
Service area Belfast
Service type bus service, bus rapid transit
Fleet260
Operator Translink (Northern Ireland)
Website Translink/Metro

Metro is the trading name for bus company Citybus in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It is a subsidiary of the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company, within the common management structure of Translink, along with Ulsterbus and Northern Ireland Railways.

Contents

History

A Citybus Bristol RE branded for the Citylink service on Great Victoria Street, 1976. Citybus (Belfast) bus 2055 (LOI 2055), 1976 Bristol RELL6G Alexander (Belfast), Citylink livery, Belfast, 13 August 1976 crop.jpg
A Citybus Bristol RE branded for the Citylink service on Great Victoria Street, 1976.

Bus services began in Belfast under the Belfast Corporation Transport Department. For a time in the early 1950s, these buses ran alongside both the tram and trolleybus networks run by the Corporation until these networks were eventually abandoned, [1] and like most mainland operators, Belfast Corporation ran a mixture of single deck and double-deck buses. The Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company acquired the operations of the Transport Department in 1970, and in 1973, the Transport Department was renamed to Belfast Citybus and was integrated with fellow NITHC company Ulsterbus, with both companies being managed by Werner Heubeck. [2] [3]

Citybus drivers and their buses were often caught in the crossfire of rioting and paramilitary action during The Troubles. Buses were often hijacked and used as burning barricades, and drivers were assaulted or robbed, while a total of 17 Ulsterbus and Citybus employees were killed over the course of The Troubles. 1,484 buses from both fleets were maliciously destroyed from 1964 to the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998, with second-hand vehicles occasionally acquired from British operators. [4] [5]

Bus services in and around Belfast often ran in competition with black cab taxis throughout the 1970s and 1980s. These offered lower fares and provided individual services for Belfast's Protestant and Catholic communities at times when bus services were forced off the road by disorder and paramilitary action. [2] [6]

The Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company was rebranded to Translink in 1996. [7] The Citybus name was initially retained through this rebranding process, however in 2004, it was announced that Citybus would be rebranded to 'Metro' in a network shake-up. The Metro network was launched on 7 February 2005. Buses were painted in a pink and white livery, in contrast to the blue and white livery of Ulsterbus, and the improved network of services was based on twelve quality bus corridors (QBCs) around Greater Belfast, promising a five to ten minute bus frequency. [8] Over 540 complaints were made to Translink following the launch of Metro, largely due to buses arriving later than timetabled, however the launch was hailed as a success by Translink, citing a 6.3% increase in passenger numbers. [9] [10]

Services

Metro operates 12 quality bus corridors (QBCs) in Belfast and a number of additional routes. It also operates 5 bus stations situated in the city.[ citation needed ] On some routes the buses extend beyond Belfast into neighbouring towns, notably Newtownabbey [11] [12] and Dundonald, [13] as well as outlying housing estates such as Poleglass, Twinbrook and Lagmore that used to fall within the Lisburn City Council but now falls under the Belfast City Council area. [14]

Incidents

A Metro double-decker bus, which was operating on route 11b, was hijacked and set alight by sectarian rioters at the junction of Lanark Way and Shankill Road on 7 April 2021 during the 2021 Northern Ireland riots. Rioters attempted to put the £250,000 bus into gear before releasing the handbrake and setting it alight. No passengers on board the bus were injured and the driver was left "unhurt but very badly shaken". Translink employees staged a protest at Belfast City Hall a day later against the rioting, threatening to withdraw bus services in East Belfast between 6pm and the morning. [15] [16]

Another Metro double-decker bus, which was operating on route 2e, was hijacked and set alight in Newtownabbey in County Antrim on 7 November 2021. The incident followed another hijacking and burning of an Ulsterbus double-decker a week prior in Newtownards in County Down. The hijackers claimed themselves to be from the Protestant Action Force, who have claimed the previous Newtownards attack to be part of a campaign against the Northern Ireland Protocol. [17] [18] [19]

Fleet

As of 2021, Metro operates a fleet of 260 buses from four depots, [20] predominantly bodied by Wrightbus of Ballymena. The fleet is also augmented by 30 Van Hool ExquiCity 18 articulated buses for the Glider network. [21]

Like Ulsterbus, the former Citybus standardised on Alexander-bodied Bristol REs, Leyland Leopards, Leyland Tigers and Volvo B10Ms before the advent of low-floor buses, many of which were maliciously destroyed in sectarian violence. [22] [23] No further double-decker buses were purchased following Citybus' integration into the NITHC, with high maintenance costs being cited for the move to single deckers. [24] However in 2001, double decker buses were reintroduced to Belfast through the purchase of 20 low-floor Volvo B7TLs with Alexander ALX400 bodywork for both Citybus and Ulsterbus. [25]

Following the delivery of three Wright StreetDeck Hydroliner fuel cell buses, the first hydrogen buses in Northern Ireland, to Metro in December 2020, [26] the first buses from a later order of 100 zero-emissions Wrightbus buses, including 77 Wright StreetDeck Electroliner battery electric buses and 23 more StreetDeck Hydroliners, began entering service in Belfast from March 2022. [27] [28] [29] 60 more of Wrightbus' Electroliner single and double-decker buses have been ordered for delivery to Metro by summer 2024. [30]

See also

Related Research Articles

Most of the transport system in Ireland is in public hands, either side of the Irish border. The Irish road network has evolved separately in the two jurisdictions into which Ireland is divided, while the Irish rail network was mostly created prior to the partition of Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glengormley</span> Suburb of Belfast, Northern Ireland

Glengormley is a townland and electoral ward in County Antrim, Northern Ireland. Glengormley is within the urban area of Newtownabbey bordering Belfast, and is located in the Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council area. It is also situated in the civil parish of Carnmoney and the historic barony of Belfast Lower.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Translink (Northern Ireland)</span> Public transport operator in Northern Ireland

Translink is the brand name of the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company (NITHCo), a public corporation in Northern Ireland which provides the public transport in the region. NI Railways, Ulsterbus and Metro are all part of Translink. It is led by CEO Chris Conway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volvo B9TL</span> Low-floor double-decker bus built by Volvo

The Volvo B9TL is a low-floor double-decker bus built by Volvo from 2002 until 2018. It superseded the Volvo Super Olympian and the Volvo B7TL. The 2-axle version has been superseded by the Volvo B5TL in 2014 and the 3-axle version has been superseded by the Volvo B8L in 2018.

The Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company (NITHCo) is a government-owned body which was established in 1967 to take over the railway and bus services of the Ulster Transport Authority (UTA), namely Northern Ireland Railways (NIR) and Ulsterbus. The company was established by the Transport Act 1967.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wrightbus</span> Northern Irish bus manufacturer

Wrightbus is a Northern Ireland-based bus manufacturer and a pioneer of the low-floor bus. The company was established in 1946 by Robert Wright and was later run by his son William Wright, until it was acquired in 2019 by British businessman Jo Bamford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ulsterbus</span> Bus operator in Northern Ireland

Ulsterbus is a public transport operator in Northern Ireland and operates bus services outside Belfast. It is part of Translink, the brand name for the subsidiary operating companies of the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company, which also includes Northern Ireland Railways and Metro Belfast.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volvo B7TL</span> Motor vehicle

The Volvo B7TL is a low-floor double-decker bus chassis which was launched in 1999 and replaced the 2-axle version of the Volvo Olympian. It was built as the British bus operators seemed hesitant to purchase the B7L double decker with a long rear overhang.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Alexander ALX400</span> 2-axle double decker bus body

The Alexander ALX400 was a 2-axle double-decker bus body built by Walter Alexander Coachbuilders. It was one of the ALX-series bodywork, all of which featured the same designs on the front and rear panels that were originally designed for the new generation of mainly low-floor bus chassis produced since the late 1990s.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wright Eclipse Gemini</span> Low-floor double-decker bus body

The Wright Eclipse Gemini is a low-floor double-decker bus body that was built by Wrightbus since 2001, based on the single-deck Wright Eclipse design. The second-generation Eclipse Gemini 2 was launched in 2009, followed by the third-generation Gemini 3 in 2013. Additionally, the body was available on Volvo Super Olympian chassis in Hong Kong between 2003 and 2005, marketed as the Wright Explorer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wright Renown</span> Low-floor bus body on Volvo B10BLE chassis

The Wright Renown was a low floor single-decker bus body built on Volvo B10BLE chassis by Wrightbus in Ballymena, Northern Ireland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wright Solar</span> Bus body built by Wrightbus

The Wright Solar is a low entry single-decker bus body that was built on Scania L94UB and Scania K UB chassis by Wrightbus between 2000 and 2011. The Wright Solar Fusion is an articulated version.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wright Eclipse</span> Single-deck bus body built by Wrightbus

The Wright Eclipse is a low-floor single-deck bus body that was built by Wrightbus between 1999 and 2019. The second-generation Eclipse 2 was launched in 2008, followed by the third-generation Eclipse 3 in 2015. The Eclipse, and its sister design the Solar, were named for a solar eclipse which was visible in the UK in 1999, the year of its introduction.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wright Handybus</span> Motor vehicle

The Wright Handybus was a single-decker bus body built primarily on Dennis Dart chassis by Wrightbus between 1990 and 1995. It was also built on a small number of the higher-floor Leyland Swift chassis. It has a bolted aluminium structure with two windscreen styles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volvo B5TL</span> Motor vehicle

The Volvo B5TL is a 2-axle low-floor double decker built by Volvo. It replaced the B9TL as Volvo's Euro 6 2-axle double decker product for the UK and Irish markets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wright StreetDeck</span> British integral double-decker bus manufactured by Wrightbus

The Wright StreetDeck is an integral double-decker bus manufactured by Wrightbus since 2014, originally delivered as standard with a Daimler OM934 diesel engine. Hybrid-electric, full-electric and hydrogen-powered variants have subsequently been produced. Production of the StreetDeck range was briefly suspended when Wrightbus entered administration in September 2019.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Glider (Belfast)</span> Bus rapid transit system in Northern Ireland

Glider is a bus rapid transit system in Belfast, Northern Ireland, designed to improve the efficiency of mass transit in the city by connecting East and West Belfast and the Titanic Quarter via the city centre. The service is operated by Translink.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Volvo B8L</span> 3-axle bus chassis manufactured by Volvo

The Volvo B8L is a 3-axle bus chassis, for double-decker buses, manufactured by Volvo Buses since 2016, with pre-production batches being produced as early as in 2016. It is powered by a 6-cylinder, 350hp 7.7 litre Volvo engine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wright GB Hawk</span> Low floor single decker bus

The Wright GB Hawk is a full-size single-deck bus produced by Wrightbus in Ballymena, Northern Ireland since 2021. The first all-new model to be launched by Wrightbus following their takeover by JCB, the GB Hawk is an integral design consisting of the same chassis and body design as the existing double-deck Wright StreetDeck; it is also powered by the same Daimler OM934 engine found in the StreetDeck.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wright GB Kite</span> Zero emissions single-decker bus range

The Wright GB Kite is a range of full-size zero-emission single-deck buses manufactured by Wrightbus since 2022. Similar in body style to the diesel powered Wright GB Hawk, the GB Kite is an integral design that can be built as a battery electric vehicle, the Electroliner BEV, and as a fuel cell electric vehicle, the Hydroliner FCEV.

References

  1. ↑ "Three systems in one in Belfast". Commercial Motor . Temple Press. 15 February 1952. p. 38. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Troubled tale of Ulster's buses". Commercial Motor. Temple Press. 6 July 1979. pp. 33–35. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  3. ↑ "Ulsterbus and Belfast merger snag". Commercial Motor. Temple Press. 6 April 1973. p. 25. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  4. ↑ O'Callaghan, Eugene (21 September 2019). "Bus heroes who steered us through the Troubles". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  5. ↑ "Exhibition charts Ulsterbus' remarkable 50-year journey". Belfast Telegraph. 20 April 2017. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  6. ↑ "'Black taxi' plans coming at CIE". Commercial Motor. Temple Press. 14 January 1984. p. 19. Retrieved 26 October 2021. [The scheme] is already being compared with the "black taxi" schemes which compete with Citybus routes from Belfast to the republican and loyalist ghettoes.
  7. ↑ "Anniversary, 1996-2021" (PDF). www.translink.co.uk. Translink. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  8. ↑ "Metro bus system set for launch". BBC News. 27 January 2005. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  9. ↑ "Teething troubles for pink buses". BBC News. 7 February 2005. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  10. ↑ "City Metro system is a 'success'". BBC News. 17 June 2005. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  11. ↑ Route Number 1 Archived 2011-11-08 at the Wayback Machine
  12. ↑ Route Number 2 Archived 8 November 2011 at the Wayback Machine
  13. ↑ Route Number 4 Archived 2011-11-08 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ↑ "Belfast City Council". Belfast City Council. Retrieved 16 April 2015.
  15. ↑ Bell, Jonathan; Harte, Lauren (8 April 2021). "Infrastructure Minister meets with Translink after Belfast bus drivers stage protest over petrol-bombing of Metro in Shankill disorder". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  16. ↑ Simpson, Claire (9 April 2021). "Rioters stopped Metro bus and ordered driver and passengers to get out before torching it as bus services suspended in wake of attack". The Irish News . Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  17. ↑ "Newtownabbey: Bus hijacked and set on fire by gang". BBC News. 7 November 2021. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  18. ↑ Campbell, Niamh (7 November 2021). "Rathcoole bus hijacking and fire bombing: branded 'pathetic' and leaves driver 'badly shaken'". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  19. ↑ Morris, Allison; Preston, Allan (1 November 2021). "'Protestant Action Force' claim Ards bus hijacking start of NI Protocol campaign" . Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 8 November 2021.
  20. ↑ "Anniversary, 1996-2021" (PDF). www.translink.co.uk. Translink. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  21. ↑ "Belfast BRT's Van Hool ExquiCitys make debut". RouteOne. 23 October 2017. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  22. ↑ "Tight fleets in Ulster". Commercial Motor . Temple Press. 13 November 1982. pp. 20–21. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  23. ↑ "End of era as leopard becomes extinct". BBC News. 28 June 2006. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  24. ↑ "Low road". Commercial Motor. Temple Press. 4 June 1976. p. 31. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  25. ↑ "Double deckers back on the road" . The News Letter . Belfast. 24 March 2001. Retrieved 26 October 2021– via General OneFile.
  26. ↑ Alexander, Steven (17 December 2020). "Translink's hydrogen-powered buses enter service in Northern Ireland". Belfast Telegraph. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  27. ↑ "Translink: zero emission vehicles to assist with green recovery". Belfast Telegraph. 22 February 2021. Retrieved 29 October 2021.
  28. ↑ Cullen, Louise (23 March 2022). "Translink: First zero-emission buses set to hit the streets". BBC News. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  29. ↑ "Latest Translink Metro zero-emission vehicles enter service". Coach & Bus Week . Peterborough: Emap. 29 March 2022. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
  30. ↑ McAleer, Ryan (9 April 2021). "Translink: 100 new electric buses ordered for Ulsterbus and Belfast Metro fleet". The Irish News. Retrieved 6 August 2023.
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