Alliance Coleraine Councillors Barney Fitzpatrick and Yvonne Boyle have expressed their worry over the future of the Coleraine to Derry railway line after it emerged that a third of the services will be replaced by a bus substitution service for two years due to safety work. Translink have also announced that there will not be any upgrade work carried out on this stretch until 2015/16.
Cllr Barney Fitzpatrick said: “I am extremely worried that this lack of support for this line from Translink. I am even more disappointed after they previously discussed with politicians their plans for upgrading the Coleraine to Derry line, but three years down the line, nothing has been done by them.
“I am calling on the Translink to invest in this line to avoid any economic damage being done to the region if we lose this section.”
Cllr Yvonne Boyle said: “This line has been described by Michael Palin as one the most beautiful railway journeys in the world, so it will be disappointing that less people will be able to travel on this section.
“In terms of tourism, I am concerned that this decision could harm tourist numbers especially at a time when we are trying to attract people to the North West ahead of Derry being the City of Culture in 2012.”
ENDS