Coca Cola HBC and Rivers Agency choose flood works after near miss on line

First Minister Peter Robinson drinks a bottle of Coke, as he attends the opening of Coca-Cola's new all-Ireland bottling plant outside Lisburn in Co Antrim. PRESS ASSOCIATION Photo. Issue date: Wednesday September 8, 2010. Photo credit should read: Paul Faith/PA Wire

According to a notice published by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development (DARD) works are proposed to proved flood protection to several properties in the Hulls Lane area, which have experienced flooding in the past and remain flood risk.

“This scheme will also allow Coca Cola Hellenic Bottling Company to complete works within their own site, which will upgrade current temporary works to a permanent structure, which will contribute to the wider flood alleviation scheme for the area,” the notice explains.

The works are part of the Lissue Stream flood alleviation scheme.

Last year Northern Ireland Rail (NIR) was told to complete a flood risk assessment on its entire railway network after an incident on a nearby section of track, which was the main line from Londonderry and Coleraine to Belfast between 1871 and 2001.

The Rail Accident Investigation Branch (RAIB) reported that around 7.06am on June 28, 2012, whilst the 6.45am service from Belfast Great Victoria Street to Portrush, was travelling along the Antrim to Lisburn branch line, the train encountered a 10 metre long section of washed out embankment over which the running rails were hanging unsupported.

“The train ran onto the unsupported rails and the leading vehicle came to a stand with one bogie on each side of the unsupported track.

“After a period of around 12 minutes of intense communication between the train crew, control office, signallers and managers, the driver reversed the train off the washed out embankment to a place of safety.”