Busway Bridge opens ahead of Belfast Grand Central Station completion

The bridge’s opening symbolises a new chapter for Translink’s wider regeneration programme, including the major integration of Europa Buscentre and Great Victoria Street Railway Station, as well as the creation of a new city neighbourhood in the centre of Belfast, Weavers Cross.

Spanning 51 metres and weighing 480 tonnes, the bridge will cross the realigned railway lines serving the new station. The structural steelwork uses weathering steel, optimising the bridge’s durability by preventing corrosion, achieving both a design life of 120-years and reduced maintenance requirements. Giving the bridge a distinct rust-like appearance, this specific steel structure is the first of its kind on Northern Ireland’s public transport network and serves to be a new benchmark in sustainable infrastructure development.

The Busway Bridge was inspired by Arup’s previous work utilising the benefits of weathering steel for similar structures, including the renowned Bridge Street overbridge located at Newport Station, South Wales.

The overbridge is a key section of the new bus lane providing a direct, fast and efficient route for passengers using bus and coach services operating between the M1/Broadway Roundabout and initially the Europa Buscentre, ultimately serving Belfast Grand Central Station with its 26 bus stands once it is complete.

Belfast Grand Central Station will be a significant catalyst for regeneration through reconnection, supporting economic growth, prosperity and Northern Ireland’s climate ambitions. It will provide easy access to bus, coach, rail and active travel connections across the city and beyond, driving modal shift and ensuring people are better connected while helping Northern Ireland achieve the carbon emission reduction targets set out in the NI Climate Change Act.

The world-class facility is set to be Ireland’s largest integrated transport hub, situated at the heart of the new Weavers Cross city neighbourhood. Bringing circa 1.3 million square feet of mixed-use space to a strategic location in the city, Belfast Grand Central Station will be the largest transport-led regeneration project in Northern Ireland, accelerating significant investment opportunities as a key economic driver for surrounding areas.