New railway hub will'˜transform' travel

Work is now officially underway on the sustainable cross-border North-West Multi-Modal Transport Hub (NWMMTH) at the former Waterside Train Station in Derry~Londonderry.
Representing an investment of around Â£27 million, funding has been secured from the EUs INTERREG VA Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) with matchfunding provided by the Department for Infrastructure and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport in Ireland. Pictured are Translink's Chris Conway with Mayor of Derry and Strabane, Councillor John Boyle and Jennifer McKeever from the Chamber of Commerce — Work is now officially underway on the sustainable cross-border North-West Multi-Modal Transport Hub (NWMMTH) at the former Waterside Train Station in Derry~Londonderry. Representing an investment of around Â£27 million, funding has been secured from the EUs INTERREG VA Programme, managed by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB) with matchfunding provided by the Department for Infrastructure and the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport in Ireland. Pictured are Translink's Chris Conway with Mayor of Derry and Strabane, Councillor John Boyle and Jennifer McKeever from the Chamber of Commerce

Mr. Conway was in Derry this week to view works underway at the new railway station.

He said: “This major project will be a key gateway to the North-West, supporting business, leisure and tourism opportunities.

“The scheme also protects and secures the iconic Grade B listed Victorian station building, bringing it back to life after nearly 40 years. The works will also act as a catalyst for further development in the wider Waterside area.

“Since the introduction of the hourly railway service on the Derry~Londonderry line during the summer of 2017, we have witnessed sustained passenger growth of around 30 per cent. We are confident that the new Transport Hub will build on this success by encouraging even more people to choose more active, sustainable modes of transport. Translink is committed to making public transport your first choice for travel in Northern Ireland, and the development of the Transport Hub will help us move closer to realising that vision. We are very excited about this project, and we look forward to working with our contractors, Farrans, and a wide range of stakeholders in order to deliver this major investment for the people of the North West.”

Tom Reid, of the Department for Infrastructure, said: “Increasing the use of public transport and encouraging people to consider active travel options are draft Programme for Government objectives. To achieve this, we need to have the right infrastructure in place and the development of this transport hub is an important piece of the jigsaw in the North West.

Dublin’s Minister for Transport, Shane Ross T.D. said: “When operational, this Hub will provide enhanced support for sustainable transport in the NW of this island.”