The second phase of a £22 million upgrade to the Derry-Coleraine rail link will not be completed until the end of 2016 at the earliest, a local councillor has been told.
Translink announced earlier this year that the project – which will see the creation of a loop to enable trains to pass each other on the track – was being put back because they were having difficulty finding the right supplier for signalling equipment.
The decision has been widely condemned in Derry and throughout the North West and news that work on the second phase is not to start until 2015 has also been criticised.
Sinn Fein Councillor Bridget Meehan said the three year wait was “disappointing.”
Cllr Meehan was speaking after a meeting with Transport Minister Danny Kennedy who said the delay was a result of “procurement issues.”
Cllr Meehan added: “I challenged the Minister why the delay had happened and what timescale he expected the work to be completed. He said that procurement issues were at heart of the problem but was adamant that the delay could be counted in months. He also said that work on the upgrade would begin in 2015 and would be completed in the later part of 2016.”
Cllr Meehan said whilst this was “disappointing,” the Minister gave an assurance the monies set for the upgrade were “earmarked” for that work alone and there was “no risk” of them being reallocated to other projects elsewhere.
Cllr Meehan added: “Given the historical neglect of the North West regarding investment in transport infrastructure, Sinn Féin in Derry will hold the Minister to that promise.
“When Conor Murphy was the Minister for Regional Development, he began the process of redressing the imbalance in investment in the North West. In fact, a total of £1 billion of investment came to the region during that time, including £27 million for rail improvement.”
Cllr Meehan revealed she has written to Translink requesting a detailed explanation for the delay and asking for a time when the upgrade should be completed.
She added: “I will monitor progress to ensure that the upgrade keeps to the 2015-2016 timescale and that there are no further unnecessary delay.”
Tags:
