Glider a safe service, says Translink as 88 collisions are recorded
TRANSLINK has said that 90% of collisions the Glider service was involved in during its first year resulted in no injuries.
The Belfast Telegraph revealed that a total of 88 collisions were recorded in the 12 months to September, with an estimated five-figure cost for repairs.
The service was launched with great fanfare in September 2018 and received a £90m investment from the Department for Infrastructure.
It is Translink’s first direct cross-city service connecting east and west Belfast, linking into Titanic Quarter via the city centre.
Translink said that in its first year the Glider carried over two million more people compared to the bus services it replaced.
However, concerns were raised after it emerged it has been involved in 88 collisions in its first 12 months.
In the same year Translink paid out £20,000 on repairs.
DUP MLA Christopher Stalford said the number of incidents should be investigated.
Director of Service Operations at Translink, Ian Campbell, said safety is “always our top priority and Glider is an extremely safe way to travel”.
Mr Campbell added: “Glider vehicles have travelled over 1.3million miles since the launch and ten million passenger journeys were made across both corridors during the first year.
“Of the 88 incidents in Glider’s first year of operations, 90% resulted in no injuries and most were minor. A large percentage were caused by third party vehicles cutting into the path of Glider or emerging from a side road into the bus lane.
“Safety is always our top priority and Glider is an extremely safe way to travel, meeting British and European safety standards. We would appeal to all road users, whether driver or pedestrian, to be aware and vigilant of Gliders and buses operating in bus lanes.”
Incidents refer to any collision with another vehicle, property or person, whether an injury is caused or not, and are recorded irrespective of fault.