Belmont Rd -> Dublin Rd by Bicycle

funkey_monkey

Hi,

I'm moving house and was wondering if there was a safe cycling route from the Belmont Rd to Dublin Rd.

Can I get on the Greenway there or must I go down the road? Is there any cycle lanes or similar and are the roads okay for cycling on?


Thanks.

Denene

You could access the Greenway at either Ballyhackamore (Sandown Road) or Holywood Arches, depending on where on Belmont Road you're coming from. However, AFAIK the Greenway ends at Dee Street, so you'd have to go on-road from there.

You could get onto Sydenham Road (the long straight road that leads to the Odyssey) but it always seems strewn with sharp things, and can be quite bleak. It also takes you somewhat in the wrong direction if you're heading for Dublin Road.

The alternative is on-road via Belmont, Holywood Arches, and Albertbridge Road. Plenty of cyclists use the bus lanes on these roads.

Unfortunately with either of these routes you have to negotiate very cyclist-unfriendly major junctions, either at Bridge End or Castlereagh Street to Albertbridge Road. Busy, not designed for cycling and carry a lot of heavy goods traffic.

Once you get to the river, you can take the towpath up to the Gasworks or a bit further, and cut across to Dublin Road.

I commute this way and see lots of cyclists both coming on/off the greenway and cycling into town on-road; I think it's generally okay for cycling, although there's always the usual potholes, glass, bad drivers that you get on any route.