‘New rail service will be considered’

STORMONT’s Infrastructure Minister has said that the possibility of extending rail services to the west will be considered again in a Regional Strategic Transport Network Plan (RSTNTP) currently being developed.

There have been no railways in Tyrone since the Great Northern route closed in 1965. Much of the former track has now been re-integrated into farmland or built upon.

Efforts to highlight the need for a rail service in the county have been highlighted periodically during the past 50 years, but the prospect of new track being built has always seemed remote.

The Infrastructure Department has previously outlined plans for extending the railway to Dungannon from Portadown.

Now, in response to a question from West Tyrone SDLP MLA, Daniel McCrossan, Nichola Mallon, said that addressing regional imbalance was a clear priority for her and that services to all of the county could be considered.

“Possible extensions to the existing rail network across the North will be considered in this plan, including those to west Tyrone,” she said.

“Once I have identified my preferred options and priorities, a draft RSTNTP setting these out will be issued for public consultation.”

Her comments came as the Republic’s Transport Minister, Eamon Ryan, confirmed that he was in talks with the Stormont Infrastructure Department over new rail services, including a potential new direct link from the north west to Dublin via Strabane and Tyrone.

Steven Bradley, chairman of Into the West, which campaigns for better rail services said Tyrone and the north west is the ‘forgotten corner’ of the island when it comes to infrastructure.

“Donegal and Tyrone have been left without rail for decades,” he said.

“Whilst there is still much to do before any firm commitments could be given, the Minister reacted positively to the case for a new commuter rail route from Derry to Letterkenny and also to the possibility of a direct route to Dublin.

“Such a service would run via Strabane and Omagh, so would really help bind the north west region together physically.”

Welcoming the response from his party colleague, Daniel McCrossan, said there is a need long term to connect all local towns and villages.

“There exists a real opportunity on a cross-border basis to have Strabane and Omagh served through high speed rail development,” he added.

“Rail was unfairly and undemocratically taken away from us in the early 1960s in what was a sectarian move.

“The people were promised a high speed motorway within 10 years which didn’t happen.”