The Northern Ireland transport network is to get a £3.5 billion facelift over the next 10 years according to proposals announced by the Department of Regional Development (DRD) Minister Peter Robinson today.

The 'Regional Transport Strategy' details £1.23 billion for public transport, including £100 million for a Rapid Transit (light railway) network for the Belfast metropolitan area.

There will also be £36 million ear-marked for rural transport, £12 million for a transport programme for the disabled, and an enhanced rail network with additional rolling stock.

The minister said that there would need to be a £1.37 billion increase in the level of funding to complete all the projects set out in the strategy. This equates to an extra £420 million on top of the £950 million additional funding outlined in the Proposed Strategy published in February. The total amount of funding now needed to complete the work sits at £3.5 billion.

Mr Robinson defended the 50% increase in the planned level of investment as evidence of a "truly responsive consultative process". The minister said that finding the money would be "challenging" and will only be achieved with "political support". However, Mr Robinson said he expects to find 22% through private sector finance and 31% will come from the Reinvestment and Reform Initiative.

“The levels of funding available to implement the Regional Transportation Strategy will be dependent upon the normal budgetary processes and our ability to form new partnerships with the private sector in the development of our regional transportation network," he said.

The strategy also provides £87 million for walking and cycling measures and for the elimination of 75% of the road maintenance backlog.

It also outlined improvements for the road network, such as laying down bypasses around towns like Dungiven, Magherafelt, Cookstown, Ballynahinch, Comber and Ballykelly.

However, the announcement has not been without criticism as South Belfast UUP assembly member Dr Esmond Birnie questioned how all the schemes will be funded.

"He, and the DUP, can’t have it both ways asking for all sorts of popular goodies and then refusing to accept the cost of paying for them," he said.

He went on to say that the proposals demonstrated the anti-Agreement DUP's willingness to work within the system that they have opposed.

“The most interesting thing about Mr Robinson’s document is that it is a 10-year plan. Clearly the deputy leader of the DUP has accepted that this assembly and the institutions of the Agreement are here to stay. This strategy is a back-handed compliment to devolution," said Dr Birnie.

(GMcG)