{"id":2010,"date":"2016-12-16T17:07:35","date_gmt":"2016-12-16T17:07:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/factcheckni.org\/?p=2010"},"modified":"2022-02-26T18:36:05","modified_gmt":"2022-02-26T18:36:05","slug":"who-opens-and-closes-interface-gates","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/factcheckni.org\/topics\/peace\/who-opens-and-closes-interface-gates\/","title":{"rendered":"Who opens and closes interface gates?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

One gate in the Shankill and Falls road is closed at 18:00, at Townsend Street. Other gates in this area close at other times (15:00, 18:30, 21:00, 22:30). The Department of Justice is responsible for the gates at four locations, and the PSNI for a fifth one.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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FactCheckNI was recently contacted by a curious tourist, who went on a black taxi tour of\u00a0the Shankill and Falls Road neighbourhoods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

During his visit, he was informed by his driver that the interface gates on the \u201cpeace lines\u201d close at 6pm every evening, but locals contradictorily told\u00a0him that the gates no longer shut in the evening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

History\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The peace lines have been a part of the Northern Ireland\u00a0landscape since 1969, when first built by the British army, following the outbreak of conflict, to manage inter-communal conflict between Catholic- and Protestant-populated areas. They were intended to be a temporary measure of control, but since\u00a0the signing of the Good Friday Agreement in 1998,\u00a0only one has been removed, with 109 remaining.\u00a0<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who is responsible for the peace walls?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

As the above Belfast Telegraph article states, the Department of Justice own 51 and the Housing Executive own 20. The rest are owned privately or\u00a0by various public agencies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FactCheckNI determined that in the Shankill and Falls areas, the walls are owned by the Department of Justice. The department added: \u201cThe Department of Justice is responsible for ensuring that interface gates are opened and closed at five locations around the general Falls and Shankill areas.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Department of Justice\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Department of Justice employs a contractor to open and close the gates at four locations:<\/p>\n\n\n\n