Other News In Brief

East Belfast Play Park To Remain Closed After Fire

A popular play park in east Belfast will be closed for some time after a fire on Monday afternoon, 15 April.

Local charity Charter NI condemned those responsible for the blaze which took place at Avoniel Play Park on the first day of the school Easter holidays.

"This park will now be closed for some time completely ruining the fun for a lot of children," a spokesperson said. "Hang your heads in shame."

Police are investigating the incident.

Primark Opens Second Store In Belfast City Centre

The second Primark store in Belfast City Centre has officially opened its doors today, Tuesday 16 April.

Situated on Donegall Place, the retailer has created over 70 new jobs for the local area. It will feature the latest trends in menswear, kidswear, homeware and luggage, while womenswear, accessories and beauty remain at the Castle Street store.

Retail NI Chief Executive Glyn Roberts visited the new facility today, welcoming it as an improvement for Belfast city centre's retail offering and footfall for surrounding traders.

Translink Welcomes UK Transport Authorities

Translink has welcomed fellow members of the Urban Transport Group (UTG) on a visit to Belfast to learn more about some of the region's key investments, including the £90m Glider project.

UTG is the UK-wide network of city area transport authorities, which makes the case for public transport as a mechanism to help cities grow and prosper. The organisation represents public transport companies in regions which account for more than 20 million people.   

Delegates saw the success of Glider for themselves before paying a visit to the £20m Milewater Service Centre, the main base for the iconic Glider fleet, as well as a new depot for Translink's engineering and projects teams. They were also briefed on Translink's additional success in recent times, including the recent planning approval for the Belfast Transport Hub, which has the potential to transform travel in Northern Ireland.  

Robin Totten, Translink Senior Programme Manager, said: "Translink was delighted to host our fellow members of the Urban Transport Group on a visit to Belfast, and to reiterate our commitment to offering the best possible urban transport options, helping to keep our cities moving.  It is good to work with those facing similar challenges and opportunities in other parts of the UK, supporting best practice and collaboration in delivering sustainable cities.  

"Translink, which has recently joined UTG as an associate member, runs approximately 12,500 services per day across Northern Ireland, transporting in the region of 1.5m passengers every week. As the main public transport provider in Northern Ireland, we bring a new perspective on the work of UTG.  

"We were pleased to showcase some of our recent achievements during this visit, including Glider. Launched in September 2018, Glider has been successful in encouraging thousands of additional journeys to be made by public transport every day and has generated interest from operators and authorities across Europe."



(JG/MH)