The Belfast Urban Motorway: Engineering, Ambition and Social Conflict

In the heady days of 1967 the Northern Ireland government announced the construction of an elevated, three-lane motorway encircling Belfast City Centre. Drivers would be able to soar over Belfast’s streets on sleek, concrete flyovers while mothers with prams chatted beneath. It would require demolition on an unprecedented scale; yet the government felt that it was necessary to prevent exponential traffic growth from choking the city. Ten years later the plan was dead, only to be resurrected in a different form. This is a story that combines many of the great themes of Belfast’s recent history - including class conflict, urban redevelopment, the ‘Troubles’, the role of the government and the public/private transport debate. As well as appealing to those with an interest in civil engineering and infrastructure, this book is also vital reading for anyone seeking to understand Belfast’s urban development, the transport system that exists today, and who seeks to influence the city’s direction in the years to come.