NEW PUBLIC TRANSPORT SYSTEM
Glider is a bus rapid transit system in Belfast designed to improve the efficiency of mass transit in the city by connecting East and West Belfast and the Titanic Quarter via the city centre. The service is operated by Translink.
There are two routes, G1 and G2. The busways total 15.2 miles (24.5 km) in length and consist of both dedicated bus lanes and mixed traffic lanes. Constructed at a cost of approximately £100m some of which was provided by the EU. It operates a fleet of 18m-long Van Hool ExquiCity articulated buses. The first services of the day commence at 5:21am, and the final services depart at 11:06pm. Services operate on a 7-9 minute interval, reducing to 4-6 minutes at peak times.
The vehicles are Van Hool ExquiCity 18 articulated buses of a light tram design with three doors and approximately 18 metres in length. The interior is a mixture of seating and standing, free WI-FI, real-time visual and audible information and CCTV to ensure safety. The diesel hybrid electrical engines emit a low level of pollution and noise complying with environmental concerns. In October, 2017, the specific vehicle, called the Glider, was unveiled at the Busworld Europe exhibition in Belgium.
