EWAY

The EWAY is a light rail system proposed for East Belfast, Northern Ireland.

In January 2007, then Regional Development Minister in Northern Ireland, David Cairns, announced that engineering consultants WS Atkins PLC were to undertake economic feasibility studies on rapid transit proposals for Belfast, including assessing the Belfast Metropolitan Transport Plan (BMTP) proposals for the EWAY rapid transit scheme which would run between Dundonald and Belfast city centre. A report was expected around mid 2007.

History
Both the Regional Transportation Strategy (RTS) for Northern Ireland and the BMTP recognised the value of introducing rapid transit services in Belfast. In 2004 the BMTP stated that the pilot stage of a rapid transit network could be implemented (subject to economic appraisal, budgetary processes and the completion of statutory processes) within the 2015 Plan period. It confirmed EWAY as the preferred option which would serve the Newtownards corridor and its success would dictate the extent, if any, of further development of the rapid transit network.

In 2003-04 the Knock Valley Relief Sewer was laid along 7.5 Km (4 miles) of the disused trackbed, flowing from Dundonald to the site of the former junction with the Belfast - Bangor line at Ballymacarrett. The sewer is positioned so as not to jeopardise proposed use of the trackbed for the EWAY project.