HL Deb 14 October 2003 vol 653 cc102-3WA
Lord Laird

asked Her Majesty's Government:

What work has been done to the railway line from Ballymena to Portrush and Londonderry in each of the past five years; how much it cost; and what work is proposed for the next five years. [HL4533]

Baroness Amos

Translink has advised that in each of the past five years the following maintenance work has been carried out on the lines from Ballymena to Portrush and Londonderry:

Translink has further advised that, although it is unable to provide figures for expenditure on capital projects in each of the past five years, the following sums were incurred over the five-year period:

£000
Permanent Way 980
Signalling 70
Structures 1,088
Property 875
Total 3,013

The Department for Regional Development has offered Translink grant aid to undertake the following projects in the next five years:

Remedial action on an embankment at Galdanagh

Installation of strail crossings at four level crossings north of Ballymena

Points and crossings at Coleraine

Demolition of an accommodation overbridge at Coleraine

These projects are expected to be completed in the early part of the five-year period and further projects may be approved during the period. Maintenance work will also continue.