The RTPI’s Northern Ireland policy officer, Joanna Drennan, argues that a socially inclusive transport infrastructure is vital for Belfast’s post-pandemic recovery:
I was asked at a recent conference[1] what a ‘resilient Belfast’ would look like for me. I responded: “a city in which my son is happy to grow up”. I think many of us are familiar with the concept of ‘sustainable development’ and its hackneyed definition of development that “meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” (Our Common Future, WCED, 1987). However, I think the balance has now shifted, particularly with our COVID-19 experience, so that we are more future-focused and conscious that our ‘needs’ actually might need to be questioned, reframed and put in the perspective of future-proofing our cities.
Belfast is a car-dominated city. My family has made a conscious decision to be car-free, and it is not easy. Public transport is generally poor, with a hub-and-spoke bus network (where all but one bus route starts/ends in the city centre). Walking and cycling infrastructure is sadly inadequate and does not encourage trips by these modes. Cycle routes often become spill-over car parking spaces and traffic flow is prioritised over pedestrian desire lines and crossing points. With the increased uptake in walking and cycling for leisure purposes during lockdown, there is a greater demand for better infrastructure. It remains to be seen, however, whether Belfast will return to car-dependence for commuting trips.
Many would say that this is a result of Belfast’s history. The Troubles encouraged high degrees of separation between communities and ensured that there was not the demand for cross-centre routes. Indeed, many people did not even want to take the bus at all due to the risk of bombings. However, this car dependency has been perpetuated. Statistics issued by the Department for Infrastructure for 2018/19 showed that, of the respondents who travelled to and from work, 89% of them did not use walking as either a main or even connecting mode. That means that 89% of people drive from their front door to the car park of their place of work. As well as having mental and physical well being implications, I would argue that this reinforces division, as there is little demand for any extensive network of public transport, walking or cycling links and little opportunity for people to mix. There is division between communities but also division between socio-economic groups, as those without a car are essentially cut off from large areas of the city. If we want an equitable economic recovery, post-COVID-19, we need socially inclusive transport infrastructure.
At the recent ‘Planning for a Resilient Future’ conference, organised by the University of Ulster, Grainia Long, Commissioner for Resilience at Belfast City Council, spoke of how, as Belfast is one of the Rockefeller Foundation ‘100 Resilient Cities’, the Belfast Resilience Strategy seeks to identify policy areas for intervention which can pull multiple policy levers to effect change. Three areas of focus for the strategy are: climate resilience, connectivity, and the well being of children and young people. Attention to the city’s public transport and active travel network would impact on all three areas. Grainia gave the example of Medellin in Colombia, where the Mayor had focused on transport orientated development to bring about positive social change and community cohesion, in a post-conflict society. Investment in a public transport network that includes cable cars, Bus Rapid Transit and trams enabled people in poor communities to access jobs in other parts of the city, reduced carbon emissions and reduced youth unemployment. Improved connectivity also improved city cohesion and integration. Belfast can learn from this example.
There will be huge challenges restoring confidence in public transport over the coming months but Belfast cannot be a resilient city without more investment in public transport (either from the public or private sector through developer contributions) and developing credible walking and cycling infrastructure that is not merely an afterthought. Not only is this necessary for a reduction in carbon emissions, but it is vital for health and well being, and for connectivity which can foster inclusion and start breaking down division. Resilience should be more than a focus on climate change – it means addressing city needs holistically.
[1] ‘Planning for a Resilient Future’, run by the University of Ulster’s UPLAN Society
Joanna Drennan
Joanna is the RTPI’s Northern Ireland Policy Officer. She holds a Masters from the University of Sheffield in Town & Regional Planning and became a chartered town planner in 2011. Joanna worked as a research assistant in the European Parliament and as a voluntary researcher for Urban Vision North Staffordshire before beginning her transport planning career at Transport for London in 2008. Within TfL, she worked in Bus Network Development, Docklands Light Railway Planning, Surface Strategy Development, and the overall Land Use Planning team before joining Arup’s Transport Planning practice in 2014. She worked for various private and public sector clients in London on masterplanning, development planning and long term strategic planning. Joanna transferred to Arup’s Belfast office in 2017 and subsequently joined the RTPI in early 2020.
