Belfast City Rules & Laws

Belfast City Rules & Laws

Driving In Belfast? Some things you need to know:

Whilst many main roads in Belfast operate bus lanes in either the morning or afternoon and sometimes both, Belfast City Centre and the city's Glider Bus Routes operate Monday to Saturday from 7am to 7pm. Fixed cameras operate within the central district and you should not stop, park or enter a bus lane during these times. Bus lanes outside the city centre will have time restriction signage posted which you should adhere to as Belfast has mobile bus lane cameras in operation. These bus lanes operate part-time and may only operate Monday to Friday, check signage.

Beware of the fixed enforcement cameras, locations include Donegall Square South, Great Victoria Street and East Bridge Street (Lanyon Place Train Station once called Central Station). Fines for using bus lanes in Belfast are £90, this sum is reduced to £45 if paid within 14 days.

Park & Ride

If the stress of city driving or increased lack of on street parking is too much for you, Belfast offers park and ride schemes but be careful to check to see if your parking is free as some park and ride schemes are really just carparks and charge for the parking.

Parking in Belfast

Belfast offers a wide range of parking options the cheapest usually being carparks just outside the city centre, followed by on-street parking in the city centre. On-street parking is always time limited and depending on your specific location will depend on whether you can pay for upto one hour or upto two hours.

On-street parking can be paid for in cash or through a cashless transaction. If you chose to pay in cash remember to ensure you have the correct coins before parking, you cannot park and then go for change! Parking machines take all main coins except copper coins. Use the closest working machine to your vehicle and once payment is made return immediately to your vehicle to display the ticket. Motorcycles are not exempt from payment which raises the issue of how best to display the ticket, ensuring it is not blown away by the elements or that someone cannot easily remove it. This problem is solved by those wishing to make a cashless transaction, where the system has recorded your index plate number.

Cashless Parking

You can chose to park in Belfast both on-street and off-street in council or DfI carparks by registering with JustPark. This method requires no coins and no pay and display ticket but you are still bound by the length of time you can park and should see local signage. Before parking you will need to register both your vehicle and your method of payment details with JustPark and can do this online or by downloading their app. This method allows you to control your start and stop times but remember to log back on to inform them when you stopped needing to pay for parking as you will be charged. Using this method attracts a 10p booking fee for each JustPark parking session, this is paid alongside your parking charges. You can find additional information on paying without cash on the pay and display machine close to your on-street bay or in the off-street carpark.

Whilst you should always check local signage on-street parking charges usually apply Monday to Saturday from 8 am to 6 pm with other times being free.

Renting A Bike In Belfast

This scheme is called Belfast Bikes and it couldn't be easier as there are three ways to do this:

1 Sign up for free via the website
2 Download the nextbike app
3 Calling 034 33571551

Once registered you will be charged £5 as a starting credit. If you use the pay as you option each 30 minutes you have the bike, is charged at a rate of £1.

There are many pickup and dropoff points around the city, check out the Belfast Bikes website or app for locations. To pick up a bike just scan the QR code, enter the bike number using the app or enter it at a terminal - this will release the bike from the dock. When returning the bike simply secure it into a free dock and listen for a tone to confirm its return is locked in. The the return location you have selected is busy and there are no available docks, you can lock the bike with the combination lock provided and provide details using the app or phoneline.

Leafleting in Belfast

The City of Belfast has rules in place which ban giving out free printed material in certain city centre districts without a permit. Free printed material includes leaflets, balloons, stickers, newspapers, catalogues, brochures, carrier bags, wristbands and even clothing.

Of course being politicans they have given themselves and selected others exemptions to avoid a blacklash. You are exempt from this law if the material you are handing out freely is for Political purposes, is related to a Charity, is Religious in nature or material benefiting statutory agencies delivering health and wellbeing.

These exceptions permit you to hand out free material anywhere you like but for everyone else a permit is required and failing to have one can lead to a fine of up to £2500, although the initial fine is £80. reduced to £60 is paid within 10 days.

The Order sets out Prohibited Areas such as Belfast City Hall, Donegall Square and Cornmarket where you cannot hand out such material or even get a permit to do so.

Then there are two areas called 'consent areas' covering Belfast City Centre and the Queens University area where you can hand out such material with a permit. The Belfast City Council website details these areas, the costs of the permits and facilitates your application and online payment. This is too many a nonsense law that stiffles commerce and business but it is a rule you should be aware of.

Dog Controls

As a dog owner or a person in control of a dog it is your duty to ensure that it is under your control at all times and that you have taken every precaution to protect others from the risk your dog may pose to them, especially the elderly, disabled and children.

Your dog should be on a lead in public places and parks in Belfast at all times and you should be aware before taking you dog out whether you are required by law to muzzle it.

Belfast City Council does take enforcement action which starts with an £80 fine for issues relating to dogs they include:

Failing to have a Dog License - £80 Fixed Penalty Notice
Failing to clean up Dog fouling - £80 Fixed Penalty Notice
Permitting your Dog to stray - £80 Fixed Penalty Notice
Having more than 4 Dogs in your control in public - £80 Fixed Penalty Notice
Breach of Control of Greyhounds Act (NI) 1950 - £80 Fixed Penalty Notice