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Reference Library / Road To Rail

‘Derry Road’ rail link subject to further feasibility studies and budget affordability says O’Dowd

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The resurrection of a ‘Derry Road’ rail link to Portadown will be the subject to further feasibility and affordability studies, rail minister John O’Dowd has said.

Mr. O’Dowd said the implementation of a recommendation to develop the route contained in the draft All-Island Strategic Rail Review (AISRR) report will also require business case approval and necessary funding being made available in future.

Last year Arup’s draft AISSR report estimated that opening a route from Derry to Portadown[2] could cost between £1.8 and £2.8billion (€2.2bn-€3.4bn) based on 2021 prices and that work could start by the end of the next decade with completion before 2050.

The Infrastructure Minister has been asked to provide a timeline for the implementation of the recommendations by way of a Written Assembly Question.

Arup's draft All-Island Strategic Rail Review (AISRR) report was published last year.Arup's draft All-Island Strategic Rail Review (AISRR) report was published last year.
Arup’s draft All-Island Strategic Rail Review (AISRR) report was published last year.

He replied: “The draft AISRR report was released for public consultation for the purposes of Strategic Environmental Assessment from 25 July to 29 September 2023. Work[3] is ongoing to analyse the responses received and finalise the Review.

“Once finalised, one of the key initial steps will be prioritisation of the Review recommendations and development of an implementation plan. My officials are already engaging with their southern colleagues on these matters.”

Derry and Donegal rail links estimated £2.1-£3.3bn, could start 2030-40, be fini…

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Mr. O’Dowd said the draft report presented a timeline for ‘the possible future development and delivery of key interventions, broadly broken down into short term (from today to c. 2030); medium term (2030 – 2040) and long term (2040 – 2050) which gives an indication of when interventions may be delivered in full’.

The implementation or the report’s recommendations will depend, he added, on budget affordability.

“In addition to developing an implementation plan, more detailed work will be needed to test the feasibility and affordability of the recommendations and guide future investment decisions.

“The implementation of each key intervention will be subject to feasibility studies and business case approval, and the necessary funding being made available,” Mr. O’Dowd said.

The draft report, completed by Arup, suggested a rail link from Derry to Portadown could be started between 2030 and 2040 and finished by 2050. The old ‘Derry Road’, operated by the Great Northern Railway, formerly linked Derry and Portadown before it closed in the 1960s.

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References

  1. ^ Visit Shots! now (www.shotstv.com)
  2. ^ Portadown (www.derryjournal.com)
  3. ^ Work (www.derryjournal.com)
  4. ^

Reference Library / Road To Rail

O’Dowd says ‘Derry Road’ rail link to Portadown will have 200km per hour track speed

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A proposal to re-establish the ‘Derry Road’ as the Derry to Portadown rail connection was known when it was operated by the Great Northern Railway until the 1960s was included in Arup’s draft All-Island Strategic Rail Review published last summer.

However, the review stipulated that the new £1.8-£2.8billion (€2.2bn-€3.4bn) rail connection would be limited to speeds of 160km/h (100mph) on a completely new electrified double-tracked line between Derry and Portadown.

This attracted criticism from rail campaigners Into the West, who pointed out that this would leave Derry as the only core city on the island without 200 km per hour rail services.

The All-Island Rail Review has proposed an investment of between £2.1bn and £3.3bn in rail projects to Derry and Donegal.The All-Island Rail Review has proposed an investment of between £2.1bn and £3.3bn in rail projects to Derry and Donegal.
The All-Island Rail Review has proposed an investment of between £2.1bn and £3.3bn in rail projects to Derry and Donegal.

During a debate on the all-island rail network at Stormont this week, SDLP MLA Mark H. Durkan raised the matter with the Infrastructure Minister.

“Bizarrely, the draft report that came forward excluded the Derry to Portadown line from the 200 km per hour rail speeds, condemning the route to the lowest rail speed on the island.

“That needs to be addressed in the final strategy. High-speed rail is the key to durability and success, making it a more attractive mode of transport for everyone.

“Why should we settle for less than everywhere else? It is simply not good enough. The days of us in the west being second-class passengers are over,” said the Foyle MLA.

Rail minister John O'Dowd has said the Derry to Portadown rail link will have speeds of 200 km/p/h.Rail minister John O'Dowd has said the Derry to Portadown rail link will have speeds of 200 km/p/h.
Rail minister John O’Dowd has said the Derry to Portadown rail link will have speeds of 200 km/p/h.

Mr. O’Dowd said: “Some of the key recommendations and interventions in respect of the North include: decarbonisation of the rail network, including electrification of the Belfast to Dublin line; frequency, speed and capacity improvements on the Belfast to Dublin and Belfast to Derry lines; and new lines from Belfast to Newry and Portadown to Derry. On Mr. Durkan’s comment about the speed of the Portadown to Derry connection, to clarify, it is planned for that rail network to have a 200 km per hour speed, so it is a high-speed connection. There will also be cross-border routes from Derry to Letterkenny and Portadown to Mullingar.”

Derry and Donegal rail links estimated £2.1-£3.3bn, could start 2030-40, be fini…

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The price tag for the connection is currently £1.8-£2.8bn (€2.2bn-€3.4bn) based on 2021 prices. It has been suggested work could start by the end of the next decade with completion before 2050.

Other major developments proposed for the North West are a cross-border spur between Derry and Letterkenny (estimated capital costs £200m-£300m) and the creation of new stations between Derry and Coleraine including a spur to Limavady (estimated capital costs £100m-£200m).

John O'Dowd.John O'Dowd.
John O’Dowd.

These taken together with the ‘Derry Road’ will cost between £2.1bn and £3.3bn, according to Arup.

Several other rail projects in the east of the province bring the total proposed expenditure in the North up to over £7bn.

Speaking in the Stormont Assembly this week Mr. O’Dowd said: “If the review’s recommendations are implemented in full in the coming decades, the capital cost is estimated to be over £30 billion in 2023 prices.

“For the North, the total cost estimate is £7.7bn, which is approximately £0.31bn per annum over a 25-year period.”

References

  1. ^ Visit Shots! now (www.shotstv.com)
  2. ^

Motorways / Reference Library

Ionity opens its first high-power EV charging site in NI at Toome on busy A6 road

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The hub is open to all brands and will provide six 350kW HPC stations. The site opening was supported by NIE Networks.

The Toome site is a fully fledged motorway service station located along the A6, connecting Derry/Londonderry and Belfast[2].

Boasting a coffee shop amongst other amenities, the installation will undoubtedly provide greater footfall to businesses in this location while providing EV motorists with a convenient place to charge their cars along their journeys.

Pictured, from left, are: Ian Hunter and Aaron Coleman NIE Networks; Francis McKillion from FMK Consultancy; Paul Girvan MP; Paul McCarron from NIE Networks; Tony Wan, Endeavour Investments; Andreas Atkins, Ionity UK; Ian Craig from NIE Networks. Credit: Peter O'Hara PhotographyPictured, from left, are: Ian Hunter and Aaron Coleman NIE Networks; Francis McKillion from FMK Consultancy; Paul Girvan MP; Paul McCarron from NIE Networks; Tony Wan, Endeavour Investments; Andreas Atkins, Ionity UK; Ian Craig from NIE Networks. Credit: Peter O'Hara Photography
Pictured, from left, are: Ian Hunter and Aaron Coleman NIE Networks; Francis McKillion from FMK Consultancy; Paul Girvan MP; Paul McCarron from NIE Networks; Tony Wan, Endeavour Investments; Andreas Atkins, Ionity UK; Ian Craig from NIE Networks. Credit: Peter O’Hara Photography

Depending on demand, Ionity plans to add more chargers in the future.

‘Chronic under investment’ blamed as almost 2,000 potholes were reported from M…

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Located at a key destination in Northern Ireland, the new hub also connects with additional Ionity charging stations such as the site being constructed at The Kennedy Centre in Belfast, a retail site located just off the Belfast ring road, with a wide variety of stores and restaurants. These two new Ionity hubs will put public ultra-fast charging on the map for the country and enable fast, reliable and green mobility.

Depending on charging demand, Ionity plans to add more chargers in the future. The new hub also connects with additional Ionity charging stations such as the site being constructed at The Kennedy Centre in Belfast, a retail site located just off the Belfast ring road.

These two new Ionity hubs will put public ultra-fast charging on the map for the country and enable fast, reliable and green mobility.

References

  1. ^ Visit Shots! now (www.shotstv.com)
  2. ^ Belfast (www.newsletter.co.uk)
  3. ^