AQW 50759/11-16

Mr Stewart Dickson
Alliance Party
East Antrim

Tabled Date: 11/11/2015
Answered On Date: 25/11/2015
Priority Written: Yes

Question:
To ask the Minister for Regional Development to outline the reasons for the overcrowding on the Larne line train, in particular at Whiteabbey station in the morning when there are such large crowds that passengers are left behind; and what action she is taking to rectify this matter.

Answer:

Translink has advised me that since 29 September 2015, NI Railways has been operating a 6-carriage train on the 07:30 service from Whitehead to accommodate demand. It is scheduled to arrive at Whiteabbey at 7.55 am. Regrettably, this service has been reduced to 3 carriages on a number of occasions due to fleet availability.

Whilst the Whitehead service is scheduled to operate as a 6-carriage set there is another service leaving 9 minutes later at 8:04 am from Whiteabbey which is a 6-carriage set (originating in Londonderry).

Translink is hopeful that this is a temporary problem and should ease in the coming weeks when the first refurbished Enterprise train re-enters passenger service, releasing an additional train unit back into the fleet pool.