19/05/2004
Spellar launches railway consultation document
Regional Development Minister, John Spellar today launched a two-month consultation on future investment in the railway network in Northern Ireland.
The Minister said recent years had seen substantial capital investment in the main parts of the rail network in Northern Ireland and that the system would soon benefit from the introduction of new rolling stock.
"We are now moving into the 2004 budget round and important and difficult choices need to be taken now in relation to the funding of public services in Northern Ireland for the next three years," the Minister said.
"To help in the decision-making process, I am publishing today a report prepared by the Railways Review Group. It had been asked to draw together information on both the scale and timing of investment required to enable Translink to continue to operate services on the rail network – particularly the lesser-used sections – in the longer term."
Today's announcement follows the arrival of 23 new state-of-the-art trains to Northern Ireland last month.
The first of the new generation, three-carriage trains, which arrived from Spain, is part of an £80 million investment designed to meet the needs of rail travellers over the next 30 years.
The first trains will go into service on the Belfast-Bangor line and are all expected to be operating within 12 months.
(MB)
The Minister said recent years had seen substantial capital investment in the main parts of the rail network in Northern Ireland and that the system would soon benefit from the introduction of new rolling stock.
"We are now moving into the 2004 budget round and important and difficult choices need to be taken now in relation to the funding of public services in Northern Ireland for the next three years," the Minister said.
"To help in the decision-making process, I am publishing today a report prepared by the Railways Review Group. It had been asked to draw together information on both the scale and timing of investment required to enable Translink to continue to operate services on the rail network – particularly the lesser-used sections – in the longer term."
Today's announcement follows the arrival of 23 new state-of-the-art trains to Northern Ireland last month.
The first of the new generation, three-carriage trains, which arrived from Spain, is part of an £80 million investment designed to meet the needs of rail travellers over the next 30 years.
The first trains will go into service on the Belfast-Bangor line and are all expected to be operating within 12 months.
(MB)
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