Funding being sought for the redevelopment of Derry's former railway station

A funding application has been submitted for a new ‘transport hub’ in Derry, a government department has revealed. In 2013, Translink carried out a major public consultation on the transport needs in the city. The majority of the respondents said it was important that transport facilities in Derry were improved greatly. The majority said they also favoured the former Waterside railway station at Duke Street being redeveloped as the main ‘transport hub’ in the city. In March 2014, the then Minister for Regional Development, Danny Kennedy, said he had agreed to take forward the proposed redevelopment of the former railway station. However, he stressed that the project was dependent on the necessary funding being secured. It has now emerged that the Department of Regional Development (DRD), which is responsible for Northern Ireland’s transport infrastructure, has made an application for European funding which could turn the plans into a reality. A senior figure within DRD outlined details of the funding bid in a letter to Derry SDLP councillor Martin Reilly. Cllr Reilly recently wrote to the department asking for an update on the plans for the Waterside railway station and the work to create a passing loop at Bellarena on the Derry to Coleraine rail line. A passing loop is a place on a single line railway, often located at a station, where trains or trams travelling in opposite directions can pass each other. Ruth Galwey, the DRD Private Secretary, responded to Cllr Reilly as the current Minister for Regional Development, Michelle McIlveen, recently resigned as part of the DUP’s strategy following the latest political crisis at Stormont. In her letter to the Derry councillor, Ms Galwey said work had already started on the passing loop at Bellarena. “It is expected that the loop and platforms will be completed by the New Year but will not come into full service until the end of 2016 when the signalling works are complete,” she said. “The department has, along with regional partners, recently submitted an application for European Regional Development funding (ERDF) through the INTERREG VA Territorial Co-Operation Programme. This is to take forward a project to develop a multimodal transport hub in Londonderry. “This first stage application is subject to independent evaluation and, if successful, an invitation to present a second, more detailed, application will be made by the managing authority. “Translink is currently procuring an integrated design team to progress the fesability design and costs for a rail station in Derry. The feasibility design will continue through to the middle of next year. The scheme is being taken forward in partnership with Derry City Council.” Her letter and the latest news on the plans for the former Waterside railway station will be discussed on Thursday at the full monthly meeting of Derry City and Strabane District Council in the Guildhall.