NI rail network to benefit from 21 new and improved carriages

NORTHERN Ireland Railways will see an extra 21 carriages into the network by 2022 to match increasing passenger numbers as part of a £50m investment.

Translink yesterday announced the new scheme by the Department for Infrastructure, which will add an “essential” 1,400 seats to rail network services across the country.

Group chief executive Chris Conway said it was “great news” and “another very exciting step in the development” for Northern Ireland’s rail network.

“Their introduction will also help deliver the ambitions of the draft Programme for Government to increase the use of public transport and active travel,” he explained.

The carriages will be almost identical to existing ones in operation in Northern Ireland but the seats will be improved as well as added USB charging points.

The news comes after NIR said train passenger numbers rocketed by 130% in the last 12 years, forcing up to two-thirds of commuters to stand during peak travel times. Numbers have grown each year by between 7-8% and the 15 million train users last year was a record in Northern Ireland Railways’s 50year history.

Yesterday, representatives from Spanish rail manufacturer CAF — which will build the carriages — were in Belfast to sign the contract.

“We are very much looking forward to working with Translink again and are confident our state-of-the-art trains will help meet increasing passenger demand while ensuring exceptionally high levels of comfort, accessibility and safety,” said Josu Esnaola, commercial director for CAF. The company provided 20 trains for Translink in 2011 on top of 23 released between 2004 and 2005. Mr Conway said the latest fleet of carriages will “meet the very latest standards in comfort and quality and be compatible with our current fleet”.

Department for Infrastructure Permanent Secretary, Katrina Godfrey also hailed the £50m investment. She stressed the 21 new carriages will provide “additional capacity, greatly enhance the passenger experience and encourage more commuters to make the switch to public transport”. Josu Esnaola, CAF; Frank Hewitt, Translink; Chris Conway, Translink Group chief executive; Permanent Secretary, Department for Infrastructure Katrina Godfrey and Antonio Campos, Western Europe commercial director, CAF. Left: Mr Esnaola with Mr Conway