‘Translink must not try to resurrect Ballyhenry park and ride plan’

Representatives from the public transport provider gave a presentation to elected representatives at Monday night’s Community Planning Committee meeting, outlining the current situation the business finds itself in, changes to services and plans for the future.

While Translink is keen to see park and ride sites at the end of each of its “Metro high frequency corridors”, Alderman Mark Cosgrove and Cllr Phillip Brett reminded the delegation of the significant opposition to previous plans for a park and ride facility at Ballyhenry Road, on a narrow strip of land at Dorchester, just yards from Sandyknowes roundabout.

Alderman Cosgrove described the location as “a skittery wee site” in “one of the most gridlocked parts of Northern Ireland” and said that Corr’s Corner would be a much more suitable location for a park and ride. He said that a park and ride at Ballyhenry Road was not wanted and would have “no strategic benefits.”

The UUP man urged the Translink officials not to resurrect a plan that was “democratically killed off in the recent past.”

He and Cllr Brett both stressed that the previous plan had been met with almost total opposition from the public and politicians.