Belfast Harbour Estate: green light for first driverless buses

Driverless shuttle buses are set to be launched in Northern Ireland.

They will be among the first fully driverless transport systems anywhere in the UK.

The buses which are part of the 'Harlander' project will be operational next year as part of an innovative project led by Belfast Harbour with funding from Innovate UK.

They will be used to transport passengers in the Harbour Estate from the Titanic Quarter railway station to the Catalyst Science Park in Queen’s Island.

There will also be stops at Titanic Belfast, Catalyst and Belfast Metropolitan College.

Belfast Harbour is leading the development of the service alongside a consortium of partners.

Some £11m is being invested in the project which is one of a number of others being funded in support of self-driving technology.

Business Secretary Grant Shapps said: “In just a few years’ time, the business of self-driving vehicles could add tens of billions to our economy and create tens of thousands of jobs across the UK. This is a massive opportunity to drive forward our priority to grow the economy, which we are determined to seize. The support we are providing today will help our transport and technology pioneers steal a march on the global competition, by turning their bright ideas into market-ready products sooner than anyone else.”

Mike Dawson, People and Corporate Services Director at Belfast Harbour, added: “Belfast Harbour has a long track record of delivering and supporting innovation, so we are delighted to be establishing the UK’s first operationally ready and commercially viable deployment of a fully automated shuttle service on publicly accessible roads within the Harbour Estate. This announcement supports our Smart Port ambitions and shows our commitment to the development of Belfast’s Innovation District.

“The City’s Innovation District has enormous potential for growth and we at Belfast Harbour want to play our part in helping to build an innovation eco-system that brings investment into the economy. Electrified connected and automated vehicles offer a route to provide a clean, efficient, and affordable public transport that aligns with net zero targets and provides connectivity to other modes of transport.”