Residents in North Belfast are calling for a number of side streets to be made bus free before 'someone gets hurt.'
The Waterworks Residents Association have been campaigning for buses to be removed from the Brookvale area for the past four years, and have now launched a petition to resolve the issue.
Supported by local politicians and community organisations, the petition has almost reached 500 signatures, as those from the residents' group have been engaging with neighbours on their doorsteps.
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Brookvale resident, Eithne O'Kane, was one of a group who met with Belfast Live on Brookhill Avenue on the afternoon of Thursday, March 10, to see first-hand how out of hand the issue had become.
Meeting at 3pm, when pupils from nearby school Belfast Royal Academy (BRA) were leaving for the day, the group counted eight buses passing down the residential street in nine minutes. This was a combination of coaches and double decker buses.
"This has been ongoing for over four years, and nothing has been done," Eithne said.
"Four years ago we did a survey and found 500 cars went through in the morning and evening, the road is really gridlocked at these times. It's a well used area, and a bit of compromise here and there would make things a bit easier. We have buses and lorries that transport cars coming through, and this road is quite narrow at the top.
"Originally, Brookvale Avenue was widened and that was for the old 77 bus that went from the Waterworks to the Gasworks back in the 1970s. We were told that was a traditional route which is why the buses were using it."
The impact of buses passing through the residential area and cars taking up parking spots has had a huge impact on those living in the Brookvale area.
Eithne said: "I can't open my windows due to the smell of the exhaust fumes, and my windows are bogging due to it. There's children who live in these houses and I don't know how they can play in the street, my heart would be in my mouth for them due to the danger involved.
"It's unbelievable the number of buses who pass down this road on a day-to-day basis. It's the noise and traffic of it, it's like living on a main road.
"Eia Street has bollards at the bottom of it, and people living here have to leave a half hour earlier in the morning to get out to work with the amount of traffic. There was an older man living down there who had a heart attack and they had to bring him up the street on a gurney as the ambulance couldn't get in.
"It's affecting everything, it's out of control and something needs to happen to resolve it. We're hoping when we meet with Minister Mallon to get some action on the issue.
"We're looking for a focused area plan here. This is the number one spot for deprivation in all of Northern Ireland through complete and utter neglect over the past 30 years. There are lots of other issues but essentially we want a pilot plan for traffic and some sort of traffic management scheme."
The residents group will be meeting with Infrastructure Minister, Nichola Mallon, on March 16th to voice their concerns around the number of buses driving through the area and the parking situation.
Green Party Councillor, Mal O'Hara, has been working with residents on this issue for the past number of years.
He said: "There was some progress before the pandemic but this seems to have gone backwards. Almost 60% of households in the Waterworks ward do not have access to a car of van yet it really doesn’t look or feel like that.
"Today we observed traffic bedlam. Cars blocking entries and alleys for access. Cars were parked on dropped curbs meaning those with mobility needs or prams or buggies had to walk onto the road. Large numbers of buses and other traffic using the community as a cut through between the Antrim and Cliftonville roads.
"We need all stakeholders to come together and find a solution. We need police and traffic wardens to take action on problematic parking. We need the concerns of residents to be heard and to be acted on.
"I am concerned that unless there is action to tackle these issues, someone is going to get hurt."
You can view the Waterworks Residents' Group's petition for a Bus Free Brookvale by clicking here.
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