Translink boss issues update on train services start date as Grand Central Station officially opens

The head of Translink says train services are on track to resume in early autumn as planned at Northern Ireland's new £340 million public transport hub.

Translink’s Group Chief Executive Chris Conway was speaking ahead of the official opening of Belfast Grand Central Station on Monday morning, 24 hours after the facility welcomed its first bus passengers.

The station is set to open in phases, with train services due to start later this year, although no date has yet been confirmed for this. It's set to become the largest integrated transport hub on the island of Ireland, replacing the Europa Bus Centre, which closed on Saturday night and Great Victoria Street train station, which shut in May.

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The first bus services from Grand Central Station, 5am departures to Dublin and Belfast International Airport, began on Sunday morning. But train passengers will have to wait much longer to hop on board at the new station as no date for the commencement of rail services, including an hourly Enterprise train service between Belfast and Dublin, has been confirmed.

Translink has been running additional bus substitution services since early July to facilitate essential engineering works on the railway line between Belfast and Lisburn.

The works led to the closure of ten train stations over the summer. It's hoped that rail services at the site off the Grosvenor Road may happen by mid-October once all safety checks have been completed.

Last week, the firm said this would be “before Christmas” but speaking to BBC News NI this morning on the hub's first full day, Mr Conway said train services are scheduled to begin in “early autumn" although he did not give a specific date.

Mr Conway said: “We’ve always said that the full station would open in early autumn, and we’re still on plan for that. If anything, we’ve opened the bus (services) a little bit earlier (than scheduled), and that’s where we are at the minute.

“We’re making really good progress with the safety authorisation process, and I hope that the safety authority will be able to give us good news soon.”

Located at Weavers Cross close to the city centre., Grand Central is expected to see around 20 million customer journeys each year as the city's main transport gateway. Retailers confirmed for the station so far include Starbucks, Pret A Manger, Marks and Spencer and Brew Dog.

Public Realm work to put a clear focus on allocation of road space to pedestrians, cyclists and public transport around the station will continue in to 2025.

Construction on the new station started in March 2022. However there has been some criticism over the cost of the project, which has spiralled and is expected to be £340m once completed.

Initial predictions had put the cost of delivering the project at £200m but earlier this year Stormont's Infrastructure Minister John O'Dowd said a full business case was approved in November 2021 at a cost of £295m but that the latest estimate is £340m, citing "extraordinary inflation".

Speaking to the PA news agency at Monday's official opening, Mr O’Dowd pointed out that the facility was built during the Covid-19 pandemic and there have been extraordinary inflationary increases in terms of building materials.

“That’s part of the reason, but I have also asked my officials to do a review of the project for lessons learned. What lessons do we need to learn from delivering such a major project here in the heart of Belfast? There is already a review going on,” he said.

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