TRANSLINK EMBARK TRAIN ORDER PANEL

TRANSLINK has appointed a panel of experts to advise and assist on the acquisition of new trains for Northern Ireland Railways.

The team of academics and transport specialists will provide guidance for Translink as it decides which trains to order.

The company is set later this year to place an order of £75 million for 23 trains to replace its existing suburban rolling stock.

Ted Hesketh, Managing Director with Translink said: “We are delighted to have such a distinguished panel of experts to work on this major spending programme. Under the Chairmanship of Tony Roche, currently National President of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, the group will oversee the purchase of new rolling stock”.

Other panel members include Lord Bill Bradshaw, Professor Austin Smyth based at Napier University Edinburgh QUB, Mrs Maeve Bell OBE, Director of the General Consumer Council for NI and Professor George Hazel, a transport specialist and Managing Director of McLean Hazel Ltd. The panel will also be supported by representatives of NI Transport Holding Company and Translink.

Mr Hesketh added: “One of the key tasks for the panel will be to review the results of the public consultation exercise. To date over 1200 responses have been received both on-line and by post. There are many diverse opinions and views on what our new trains should be like. Feedback such as this is crucial and we are hopeful that many of the ideas will be introduced when the new rolling stock arrives on our network in spring 2003”.

Members of the public can still pick up a questionnaire on the new trains from their local bus or rail station or by visiting the www.translink.co.uk/consult website.

The closing date for submitting completed forms is 6 July 2001.

(AMcE)