AQW 18671/17-22

Mr Stewart Dickson
Alliance Party
East Antrim

Tabled Date: 11/05/2021
Answered On Date: 20/05/2021
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for Infrastructure pursuant to AQW 18018/17-22, whether any studies have ever been completed to electrify any part of the Northern Ireland railway network.

Answer:

I am ambitious for our rail network and am keen to do all that I can to explore how we can progress rail improvements within the limited budgetary envelope that we have. I also want to ensure that any proposals for changes to the rail network include operational and financial viability and have a very clear focus on the part that rail can play in growing the all-island economy, improving the ability of people to connect with and access opportunities and addressing regional imbalance.

To date, there has been no studies completed in relation to the electrification of any part of the Northern Ireland railway network. However the All Island Strategic Rail Review, which Minister Ryan and I recently announced, will allow us to consider our network across this island to view how we can improve it for everyone. Whilst it reflects and builds on the commitment under the New Decade, New Approach agreement of the Irish and British Governments to examine the feasibility of a high/higher speed rail link between Derry, Belfast, Dublin and Cork, Minister Ryan and I have a shared ambition for rail and commitment to tackling the climate emergency, and we are keen that we use this opportunity to consider the decarbonisation of our rail network across the island of Ireland.