Concerns have been expressed following the implementation of a new hourly Enterprise train service between Grand Central Station in Belfast and Connolly Station in Dublin surrounding its ‘detrimental impact’ for Lurgan town centre.
The service – which came into effect at the start of November – has been accused of causing major traffic disruption and persistent delays at the busy railway crossing on William Street.
Armagh I visited business owners on William Street today (November 20) to assess the general feeling for the new service and found that, while traffic disruption was an issue for all, they also expressed a number of positives.
One business owner said, “I’m probably the only business not complaining” citing an increase in footfall as a huge upside to the new schedule.
Despite his reservations, others did share in his enthusiasm.
Another said: “There is congestion and the traffic does mount up, particularly at rush hour and during school times, but while they are stopped outside, they look in through our shop window and that can’t be a bad thing.”
“Name me a better form of advertising?” exclaimed another.
During the course of our stay – which was midday on a Wednesday – we timed a road closure for a passing train.
It took just over five minutes between the barriers closing until they were reopened and traffic began to move.
In that space of time, traffic built up on either side of the crossing to approximately 15 cars in each direction.
However, the barriers did in fact close again no more than five minutes later which meant that the congestion had not cleared between trains.
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