Northern Ireland's Department for Infrastructure (DfI) has appointed AtkinsRéalis to provide design and construction management services for the £48m second phase of the Belfast Rapid Transit (BRT) project.

Launched in September 2018, phase one of the BRT scheme opened under the Glider brand and provides a transit link between East and West Belfast through the city centre, while also linking to the Titanic Quarter.

The Glider vehicles – 18-metre articulated buses with a capacity for 108 people – have reportedly ‘largely replaced' the Metro bus service along the Falls Road and Upper Newtownards Road corridors.

For phase two, the DfI plans to further extend the BRT network to North and South Belfast, as well as the Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council and Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council areas.

It also plans to extend the existing Glider G2 route (which currently serves Titanic Quarter) to link with Queen's University and Belfast City Hospital.

Additional plans for phase two include:

  • Introduction of bus priority measures from Clifton Street to Innisfayle Park along the Antrim Road and from Ormeau Road to Park Road on the southern route in readiness for the full BRT2 scheme
  • Delivery of a park and ride site on the O'Neill Road
  • The introduction of bus priority measures in the city centre
  • The design and construction of Bankmore Link to provide key linkages for the Belfast Cycle Network and connectivity between the proposed new Lagan Pedestrian and Cycle Bridge and Grand Central Station.

Infrastructure minister Liz Kimmins said: ‘The Belfast Rapid Transit Glider service has been a huge success and has helped transform and modernise public transport services in east and west Belfast.

‘My officials have been working to progress the scheme at pace since my announcement in February 2025. On site survey works began in June 2025 to inform the preliminary design, and the Outline Business Case was approved in December 2025.

‘Therefore, I am pleased to confirm that AtkinsRéalis has been appointed to advance the detailed design and work closely with the DfI BRT2 project team to prepare for the construction phase.'