'Railway must be protected from cuts'

That’s the view of SDLP assembly member, John Dallat.

Dallat has campaigned for many years for the development of a high speed inter-city service between the two cities.

“Eyes will be firmly fixed on where the financial axe falls when the Assembly Executive gets down to business next month, “ said the MLA.

“People are concerned that history will repeat itself and the north west will once again be disproportionately affected when it comes to investment in road and rail infrastructure.

“History shows that the railways have been neglected during times of government cutbacks, but hopefully common sense will prevail and the planned upgrade of the Coleraine to Derry section of this railway, once described by Michael Palin as ‘one of the most beautiful rail journeys in the world’ will go ahead.”

The MLA went on: “It is without doubt one of our tourist gems, sadly under valued for much too long, and lacking the investment it needs to develop a working timetable which allows people to travel between the two cities in an hour or little more.

“Recent improvements have been welcomed, but they represent only a small part of the long-term campaign for a service which will encourage people to move in very large numbers from road to rail.

“Our railway is now carrying more passengers than the Belfast to Dublin line, that should tell the Assembly that people are making a choice to support public transport. Why would we want to curtail the development of it?”