Translink to meet council over Derry railway plans

Translink to meet council over railway plans

Translink are to meet with the local council to discuss securing funding for a new rail station in Derry.

The news comes after it emerged the Department of Regional Development (DRD), which is responsible for Northern Ireland’s transport infrastructure, submitted an application for European funding to construct a new ‘transport hub’.

If funding is made available, the hub will be constructed at the former Waterside railway station (pictured) at Duke Street.

The news comes after Translink revealed a design team had been appointed to look at the feasibility of a new train station, and that work had already started on a passing loop at Bellarena on the Derry to Coleraine rail line.

A passing loop is a place on a single line railway, often located at a station, where trains or trams travelling in opposite directions can pass each other.

The updates were revealed in a letter to the Waterside SDLP councillor Martin Reilly, which was discussed at a meeting of Derry City and Strabane District Council.

Speaking at the meeting, Cllr Reilly said council should now write to Translink and invite its representatives to meet with them at a future meeting,

Cllr Reilly said such a meeting would give elected members the opportunity to hear from Translink, and how they could work with council to help secure funding for the rail station.

The council’s Chief Executive John Kelpie said a steering group had now been set up to look at the development of the railway, with council taking the lead.

He added the group also included Translink and Donegal County Council, and was being taken forward as a ‘multi-agency regeneration project’.