14/12/2012

Translink Announces Increased Train Services

Translink has announced it will be increasing the number of services and carriages on trains in the New Year.

General Manager Mal McGreevy said the company’s purchase of 20 new trains was paying off.

He was speaking as Translink launched its new train timetable.

The purchase is thought to have increased seating capacity by 20% as well as providing a more frequent service on the Larne line and an hourly service between Belfast and Coleraine.

The Titanic Quarter station is also to receive more services.

"The proof of success is in the steadily growing numbers of passenger now choosing the train as their preferred way to travel," said Mr McGreevy.

"In 2011/2012, a record 10.7m people used the train, which is a 70% increase over the last decade and we are on target to exceed 11m passenger journeys this year."

Transport Minister Danny Kennedy has welcomed the news. He said: "The new timetable is seen rightly as delivering significantly improved services. It comes as a direct result of investment in a New Trains programme.

"The new timetable brings great news for people travelling by train particularly for those travelling on the Coleraine line who will see their weekday services increase by 50%.

"There will be a similar level of service increases on Saturday and Sunday. A new late night train will now leave Belfast on the Coleraine line at 10.10pm from Monday to Saturday.

"This expansion was at the wish of existing passengers who understandably felt the current last train at 9.15pm departed too early.

"People in Whitehead travelling to and from Belfast will see an increase in their weekday services from 28 each way to 35 each way. The Belfast-Bangor express train now includes a stop at Titanic Quarter.

"The proposed January timetable has been designed to accommodate the completion of the current improvement works on the Londonderry line in April 2013 and future investment plans for the future. There are plans for consultation on the timetable for services to and from Londonderry before the reopening of the rail line."

The new rail timetable will be introduced on 6 January 2013.

(IT)

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