AQW 6739/16-21

Mr Richie McPhillips
Social Democratic and Labour Party
Fermanagh and South Tyrone

Tabled Date: 08/11/2016
Answered On Date: 22/11/2016
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Infrastructure whether he has considered extending the rail network in the West.

Answer:

My Delivery Plans for the Programme for Government indicators on transport will contain a number of new initiatives, to address the infrastructure deficit, particularly in the West.

In line with my Delivery Plan I will continue to make the case for investment in our rail network. My immediate priority for railway investment, however, is to maintain and improve passenger capacity on the existing network including the services to Derry and on the Enterprise route. This approach has delivered significant increases in passenger numbers on rail services over the recent past.

I am determined to build on the progress that has been made and I am committed to deliver a new transport hub for the North West on the site of the old Waterside Train Station. This will cement the significant progress on upgrading the Derry-Belfast rail line with Phase 2 of the Coleraine-Derry track upgrade due for completion by December providing the infrastructure needed to introduce an hourly rail service between Derry and Belfast, though this will be dependent on the availability of additional funding.

Whilst the Delivery Plan reflects my ambition to commission feasibility studies on rail extensions towards Castledawson and Dungannon and an enhancement of the Enterprise Service, how much I can actually deliver in terms of these studies will similarly be determined by the capital and resources made available over the period 2016-21 and beyond.