Murphy makes the trains run on time

Figures released by Rail Minister Conor Murphy show that though the passenger numbers on the Coleraine to Londonderry railway line dipped slightly from 279,904 in 2008/9 to 276,157 in 2009/10 the average number of those travelling in the last three years represented a 75 per cent increase on the equivalent figure for 2003/2004.

East Londonderry DUP MLA Gregory Campbell also asked the Minister to detail the reliability and punctuality of the Coleraine to Londonderry railway service's departure and arrival times in the last 12 months.

Under the Translink Passenger's Charter a punctuality target (percentage of trains running no more than 10 minutes late) of 90 per cent is set on the Londonderry line with a reliability target (percentage of trains running as planned) of 99.2 per cent.

The average punctuality rate on the line was 97.34 per cent over the past 12 months whilst the average reliability rate was 99.87 per cent.

Explained Mr Murphy: "The Translink Passenger's Charter sets a punctuality target of 90 per cent of trains on the Derry line arriving no more than 10 minutes late. This target was achieved in every month on this section of the line.

"In line with the Passenger's Charter, the above information excludes services which are late due to reasons outside the control of NI Railways, for example extreme weather conditions.

"Translink have indicated that NI Railways measures the arrival times of all services at their destination and not at their departure point. However, if a train arrives at its destination on time, that is normally a good indication that its departure and intermediate stations are reasonably close to being on time.

"The Translink Passenger's Charter sets a reliability target of 99.2 per cent of trains on the Derry line to run as planned. This target was achieved in every month on this section of the line."