NI Minister Gets Rail On Link To Donegal

There's been a call for the revival of a long abandoned cross-border rail link in Ireland's northwest region.

NI Minister for Regional Development, Conor Murphy, has lent his support to a rail forum in Lifford, Co Donegal.

He said the Forum is considering the potential to establish new rail links to and from the North West of Ireland.

Although the Minister was unable to attend the eveny yesterday, he said: "This provides an opportunity to discuss ways of improving public transport in the North West.

"Given the funding available to me at present, my immediate priority is to improve and upgrade existing railway services.

"However, I very much welcome the debate surrounding the provision of rail links between Derry and Donegal and I am grateful to Donegal County Council for facilitating this forum."

Last year the Minister lifted restrictions on investment in the railway line between Ballymena and Londonderry and plans are now being prepared for a major relay of the section of the line between Coleraine and Derry.

It is expected that work on this project will commence in 2011 and be completed by 2013.

This will coincide with the deployment of two additional trains which will increase the frequency and capacity of train services between Belfast and the Maiden City.

At the last North South Ministerial Council Meeting with the Department of Environment and the Irish Department for Transport, Mr Murphy's Department agreed to undertake a study to consider the long-term social, physical and economic redevelopment of the railway throughout the North West.

At one time there was a major rail network across Ireland, including lines running into the Donegal area (pictured) from both Co Londonderry and Co Fermanagh.

As demand slowed on the lines, investment fell away and the tracks were finally dealt a death blow when the devastating Beeching report in the 1960s closed hundreds of rail lines across the United Kingdom.

(BMcC)