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

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 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.

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 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.”

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.

Rail minister O’Dowd reiterates view that Derry-Portadown train link will be 200kmph