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Into the West meets with Durkan, Campbell

Tuesday 13th September 2005

A delegation from the rail lobby Into the West (ItW) met on Friday with Westminster MPs Mark Durkan and Gregory Campbell to discuss funding for the Derry-Ballymena rail link and the future of rail in the northwest generally.

An Into the West spokesperson afterwards described the meeting at Derry Guildhall as "constructive."

"We emphasised our view that the threat to the rail link which many believed had been lifted late last year is, in fact, as great as ever, " said the spokesperson. "Rail workers on the delegation pointed out that the programme of maintenance work which should be well under way by now simply hasn't started."

The Department of Regional Development announced last December that £23.6 million had been allocated for maintenance of the so-called "lesser-used lines" - Derry to Ballymena and Larne-Whitehead. This followed a broadly-based campaign, including a march through Belfast to deliver a petition containing 8,000 names, organised by Into the West.

Into the West claims that while work has started on the Larne-Whitehead project, nothing has happened along Derry-Ballymena stretch..

"The result is that the service, far from being improved, has continued to deteriorate," said the spokesperson. "Travel time to Belfast is set to become longer, not shorter. Conditions are less comfortable, not more comfortable. This is a direct result of the line not being maintained. It's deterrent to passenger numbers

"We are seriously concerned that the funds which have been allocated will largely be spent before attention turns, if it ever does, to the northwest. We could then be told that the line isn't viable.

"We believe that elements at the DRD may not have given up on a plan to close the rail-link altogether.

"We discussed with the two MPs how parliamentary action could combine with campaigning on the ground and with the rail workers to ensure that the line stays open and is in place to be part of the expansion of rail which we are aiming for across Northern Ireland and the island as a whole.

"Specifically, we asked the two MPs to help probe the basis of the figures on which the DRD decided to designate Derry-Ballymena as 'lesser-used', and to use parliament to keep a spotlight on the issue.

"Both men were already aware of the issue and expressed willingness to work with Into the West and with other concerned groups to achieve our shared objectives."

(Into the West delegation comprised Colm Joyce, Billy Mooney, Isabel McNally, Eamonn McCann, Ciaran Gallagher, Jim McBride and Goretti Horgan)





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