socialist environmental alliance header

Derry rail crisis meeting, 8pm Wednesday, 21st November, City Hotel, Derry

Sunday 19th November 2007

The rail lobby Into The West has called a public meeting for next Wednesday (Nov. 21st) to demand a rethink on funding for the Derry line.

The main speaker at the City Hotel at 8pm will be John Dallat, MLA for East Derry.

Into The West said in a statement yesterday: "Derry has been left behind again in the spending plans of Stormont. We thought this sort of thing would be in the past once the new administration was established. But to judge from the attitude to our rail line, there's been no change.

"The plans published last week by the Department of Regional Development include no provision whatever for bringing the Coleraie-Derry line up to standard.

"This is in contrast to the line from Ballymena to Coleraine which is to be extensively upgraded.

"Pledges that Derry will be looked after next time around, in 2011-2012, are not good enough. There can be no guarantee that the money will be there in four or five years time. By then, the line will have deteriorated even further. It is already the most dilapidated piece of track still in use in these islands.

"Into The West will be having face-to-face talks with Minister Conor Murphy in Belfast next Thursday, November 22nd. We call for support for the meeting on the evening before, to back the demand for the spending plans to be referred back. We want the case for Derry to be given proper consideration. It has been put on the long finger for far too long.

"We are asking all local politicians, irrespective of party, to stand up for Derry at this time, and to tell Minister Murphy that we won't be shunted off into a siding any longer."

"We are very pleased that John Dallat, who has been vocal in his support for Into The West, has agreed to come and speak in Derry."

Other speakers will include a train driver shop steward from the Waterside station and Eamonn McCann, one of the founders of the rail lobby.





SEA Logo