Belfast street to be pedestrianised after delays

After years of delays, a cobbled street in a popular Belfast nightlife area will become a pedestrianised zone on Thursday.

Hill Street is part of the city’s Cathedral Quarter and contains several bars and restaurants.

Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins said she was “pleased” that the long-standing proposals are set to become a reality.

Jim Ingrian, who is in the area regularly, said the street should have been pedestrianised “years ago”.

However he said he had some concerns with the plans.

“I don’t think signs will be enough, I don’t think signs will slow people down,” he told BBC News NI.

“Most people will just ignore them, they won’t even pause to look at them.”

“A lot of the traffic down here is tourists, people who hire cars,” he said.

“They just go this way whether the signs says they’re supposed to be here or not.

“I still think we’ll get traffic down here.”

She said the plans would “facilitate a vibrant social space that prioritises people by making the streets safer for pedestrians”.

“By contributing to a more pleasant and enjoyable environment it will help maximise the street’s potential and enhance the nighttime and weekend economy,” she added.

Kimmins said the DfI had been “actively engaging with local businesses and those in the hospitality and retail sectors who have expressed support for the pedestrianisation of Hill Street”.

She said the scheme would be complemented by the recent announcement of late night buses.

Paul, who runs a business on Hill Street, said he didn’t think the changes would make much of a difference.

“I don’t think it will really affect me much from a business point of view,” he said.

Despite not foreseeing major changes in day-to-day activity on the street, he said he was “definitely glad [the pedestrianisation] is happening”.

“In my opinion pedestrianisation should have happened years ago, it’s a busy street.

“Anyone who’s coming down here can come by feet anyway, cars aren’t needed.”