The population of Belfast is 345,418. The city also welcomes 1,459,760 tourists annually, while visitor numbers to Titanic Belfast reached 800,000 pre-pandemic. The waterfront is therefore an important asset for the city — both as an amenity for residents and as a key component of the wider Belfast tourist experience.
The strategy must focus on reconnecting the waterfront with the city centre and the surrounding residential areas to the south, east, and west. Transit networks must also be reviewed from a post-COVID perspective.
Future connection routes outlined in the Queen’s Island Transport Plan 2035 and the DfI Belfast Cycling Delivery Plan 2022–2031 include the addition of the promenade and new bridge connections. These will further enhance connectivity and promote active travel.
The DfI acknowledges that, at peak times, Belfast’s road network is already at or over capacity. New bridge connections across the river will be vital in linking destinations on the west side — such as Yorkgate Station and Sailortown — to attractions and new development in Titanic Quarter and beyond.
A dozen great public realm destinations along a
connected, quality waterfront promenade.
