'Into The West' campaigners call on public to participate in all-Ireland rail consultation

Local rail campaigners Into The West are calling on anyone who wants better infrastructure for the North West region to participate in a public consultation on the new All-Ireland Rail Review Strategy.

The north-south initiative was launched earlier this year by the North's Infrastructure Minister, Nichola Mallon, and the Republic's Transport Minister, Eamon Ryan.

The review is designed to consider how and where rail should be improved on the island to boost sustainable connectivity and address regional imbalance - with a specific focus on the north west of the island, where rail links are largely absent.

The review process has now reached the consultation stage, with members of the public being asked to submit their thoughts on how to improve rail.

Steve Bradley, chairperson, Into the West.

Local lobby group Into The West campaigns for better rail in counties Derry, Donegal, Tyrone and Fermanagh, and sees the all-Ireland review as a big opportunity for the North West and are urging people in Derry to take part in the consultation, and has created a list of seven key improvements it’s calling on people to request when doing so.

Steve Bradley, chairperson of Into The West, Steve Bradley, said: “The All-Ireland Rail Review is an important project - taking for the first time a view of rail and required improvements across the island as a whole.

“We’ve all seen the map of the rail network in Ireland with that massive gap in the North West corner, and public opinion is increasingly viewing the situation as no longer acceptable.

“The strategy that comes out of this all-Ireland review will, hopefully, identify ways in which that gap should be addressed.

“Into The West has identified seven key projects that would achieve that and transform rail across the north west of the island. However, there will be a lot of voices contributing to this consultation and calling for improved rail in other parts of the island too. That’s why it’s essential that as many people as possible from the North West have their say.

“We want this to be the largest public consultation ever held in Ireland, leaving Stormont and Dublin in no doubt that the public demands better rail. And we want the North West to comprise the largest number of responses, as otherwise there is a danger other places which shout louder could become the main focus of the new strategy.”

Mr Bradley concluded: “The deadline for responses to the consultation is 21st January 2022, but please don’t leave it until then to take part. It’s essential that as many people as possible here contribute to ensure there is a strong voice demanding better rail for the North West. So please take the short time required to take part in this consultation today. And please ensure you request the seven improvements outlined above in your response.”

The seven key improvements that Into The West are suggesting people ask for when responding to the consultation are :

1. Faster and more frequent trains between Derry and Belfast (Including departures every half hour, and a 90-minute express service)..
2. Reopen the Derry-Portadown rail line (via Newbuildings, Strabane, Sion Mills, Newtownstewart, Omagh, and Dungannon).
3. Reopen the Derry-Letterkenny rail route.
4. Reconnect Limavady to the rail network.
5. Complete the Limerick to Sligo ‘Western Rail Corridor’ (and continue it on north through Donegal to Derry).
6. Reconect Enniskillen to the rail network (both north to Omagh and south to Sligo).
7. Connect NI’s 3 airports to the rail network (includes City of Derry Airport).

Information on the all-Ireland rail review and details on how to submit a response to the public consultation can be found at www.strategicrailreview.com