Rail lobby to meet over stalled upgrade

The group is holding the public meeting in the City Hotel at 8pm.

Into the West says it will help decide how the city can achieve a reversal of the decision not to upgrade the rail line on time for 2013 and the City of Culture.

The move comes after Rail Minister Danny Kennedy reiterated to East Londonderry MLA John Dallat that the £75m track relay will not now start until 2014.

Responding to a query from Mr Dallat at the Stormont Assembly the Minister commented: “Prior to the budget Translink had planned to start this major £75 million project in 2012.

“However, as a result of the budget and to avoid disruption to Londonderry’s UK City of Culture Year in 2013, it is currently intended that the start will be deferred until 2014.

“There has been funding of £20 million allocated to the 2014/15 budget to allow the project to start at that time.”

Among the speakers at tonight’s meeting in Londonderry are Martin Bradley, chair of the Culture Company 2013 and Eamonn McCann of Into the West.

A spokesperson for Into the West said: “The bulk of this meeting will be a discussion from the floor about the way forward and what our next steps should be.

“This meeting is not about looking back or playing the blame game, nor is it about going over – again – the case for this city to have a rail link suitable for the region’s second city.

“We have called this meeting to bring together any and all ideas about how we can ensure an eleventh hour follow-through on commitments made as part of the bid for the City of Culture to ensure appropriate infrastructural investment and public transport links. It had always been assumed that people from Belfast and other parts of the region would flock to the city in 2013.

“The City of Culture was always supposed to have a lasting legacy. We need to ensure that part of that legacy is the upgraded rail line that has been promised since 2003.”

“The meeting is open to all and those with ideas for taking the campaign forward are particularly welcome.”

In answer to Mr Dallat’s query at the Assembly, Mr Kennedy said he was fully committed to the Londonderry upgrade.

“My Department is providing £7 million in funding so that Translink can plan and implement a programme of engineering work to maintain safety on the line and keep the line operational. Translink hope to introduce a fully enhanced service when the full re-lay is completed. A key factor in all this is to safeguard passenger and staff safety,” he stated.

“In light of the concerns raised with me about current plans I initiated discussion with key stakeholders in the North West region.

“Specifically, I have recently met with Derry City Council and other public representatives and bodies. I have also raised these matters with my Executive colleagues and separately with the DFP Minister. I will continue to review options and discussions will continue about what is financially and technically feasible,” stated the Minister.