Return of the railway to Omagh ‘would improve lives of disabled’

THE lives of local disabled people would be greatly enhanced if a railway system was returned to Tyrone, says local disability rights campaigner, Dermot Devlin.

The Greencastle man is backing the ‘Into The West’ campaign which is calling for the reintroduction of rail travel in the county.

Mr Devlin, who runs My Way Access, attended Into The West’s latest public meeting on the issue last week at the Strule Arts Centre.

The rail lobby group wants to reinstall the Great Northern Line between Derry and Portadown with stations at Strabane, Omagh and Dungannon, before travelling on to Belfast and Dublin via Portadown.

The line closed in the 1960s, ending a century of rail access for the counties of Tyrone and Donegal.

At last week’s meeting, Mr Devlin said that the restoration of rail access in Omagh could improve the lives of disabled people across the district.

“As a disabled person, having an improved rail network in the North West will make long-distance travel much easier… allowing me to go with ease to Belfast, Dublin and the rest of the island,

“Disabled people make up two-tenths of the population and need to move across the island freely.

“Many do not drive so they rely heavily on family or friends to travel, or public transport.

For long-distance travel, we do not have the confidence in buses or coaches. Trains would be much easier and would provide direct transport opening up the island for us like never before.”

Mr Devlin also stressed that the return of rail to Tyrone would help many people disabled gain better access to hospitals throughout the North.

He told the UH, “Getting to hospital appointments in Belfast, Derry or Dublin is becoming more difficult. Rail would certainly make it easier and faster to attend them.”