Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company facts for kids
The Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company (NITHCo) is a special company owned by the government in Northern Ireland. It was created in 1967 to manage and run the train and bus services. Before NITHCo, these services were handled by the Ulster Transport Authority (UTA). NITHCo took over important transport groups like Northern Ireland Railways (NIR) for trains and Ulsterbus for buses. This change happened because of a law called the Transport Act (Northern Ireland) 1967.
Contents
What is NITHCo?
This company is owned by the government. This means the government of Northern Ireland controls it. NITHCo makes sure that people can travel easily by bus and train. It helps keep Northern Ireland moving every day.
How NITHCo Started
NITHCo was set up in 1967. It was created to take over the public transport services. These services were previously run by the Ulster Transport Authority (UTA). The government wanted a new way to manage these important services.
The Transport Act of 1967
A special law, the Transport Act (Northern Ireland) 1967, made NITHCo possible. An "Act" is a law passed by the government. This law gave NITHCo the power to run the train and bus networks.
NITHCo's Transport Services
NITHCo manages several key transport companies. These companies help people travel across Northern Ireland.
Northern Ireland Railways (NIR)
Northern Ireland Railways (NIR) is the main train service. It connects towns and cities by rail. NITHCo took over NIR's operations in 1967.
Ulsterbus
Ulsterbus provides bus services across Northern Ireland. It helps people travel between different areas. NITHCo also took over Ulsterbus in 1967.
Citybus (Belfast)
In 1973, Citybus joined the NITHCo family. Citybus runs the bus services within the city of Belfast. It took over from the Belfast Corporation Transport Department.
NITHCo and Airports
For a time, NITHCo also managed an important airport.
Belfast International Airport
Between 1971 and 1994, NITHCo ran Belfast International Airport. It did this through a company called Northern Ireland Airports Limited (NIAL). NIAL was a part of NITHCo.
Changes at the Airport
In 1994, the government made a new company. It was called Belfast International Airport Ltd (BIAL). This new company was then sold. It was bought by a group of managers and employees.
The Translink Brand
In 1996, a new name was created for public transport.
Bringing Services Together
The name Translink was introduced in 1996. This brand was made to bring all the services together. It combined Ulsterbus, NIR, and Citybus. Now, these services work under one easy-to-recognize name. This makes it simpler for people to use public transport.
External links
- Translink web page
