Residents and businesses hope for a return to normal as road reopens

Sarah Teare, who runs a dog-grooming business, says the year-long closure of Durham Street was a nightmare for business

A key link road in Belfast city centre has been reopened more than a year after it was closed during work around the new Grand Central bus and train station.

Durham Street, which links Sandy Row with Grosvenor road, was closed in October 2024 to accommodate the demolition of the Boyne Bridge. It reopened at 08:00 GMT allowing traffic to flow along the route once more.

Residents and business owners have told BBC News NI that the past year has been a "nightmare" and the area was a "ghost town". Grand Central station opened to passengers in September 2024. It is the largest public transport station on the island of Ireland and is estimated to have cost £340m.

Chris Conway, Translink's chief executive said accessibility to Durham Street will provide safe and convenient access to the station. "The road design has been carefully considered to prioritise safety and cater for large pedestrian flows."

Sarah Teare, who runs a dog-grooming business on nearby Sandy Row, says the year-long closure was a nightmare for business.
"It was awful. Honestly, we thought we were going to have to close at one stage," she said. "It was taking some clients two hours to get here."