€130m boost to North's rail service

A €130m contract to buy 23 new trains which will modernise the Northern Ireland rail network was signed today by Translink.

All the trains in the North will be replaced under the deal except the Belfast-Dublin Enterprise which is already up to modern standards.

Spanish company CAF will build the state-of-the-art trains in its plant at Zaragosa in northern Spain.

The first of the rolling stock will be delivered to Northern Ireland in December 2003 and go into operation the following May after a period of testing and commissioning.

The remaining 22 will all be delivered by December 2004.

All trains will be fully air-conditioned, have seating for 200 passengers and be capable of travelling at speeds of up to 90mph.

There will be special designated space for wheelchairs and bicycles and the trains will be quieter than those presently on the tracks - a major benefit to local track-side communities.

Speaking at the signing ceremony in Stormont Peter Robinson, the North's Regional Development Minister, said it was a very special occasion for Northern Ireland Railways.

‘‘We do not often purchase new trains and to my knowledge this order for 23 train sets is the single largest order ever placed by Northern Ireland Railways.’’

The minister said the travelling public had undoubtedly been aware that standards of passenger comfort and the reliability of trains was not what would be wished.

‘‘This investment in new trains will, I hope, show that there is an alternative to that bleak prospect of ever increasing congestion and encourage many more people to use public transport,’’ he added.

Ted Heskith, managing director of NIR’s parent company Translink, said the new trains were a very visible indication of their efforts to meet the demands of customers and went hand in hand with other measures including the ongoing programme of line refurbishment.

‘‘All in all public transport in Northern Ireland is entering a very exciting time,’’ he said.

The contract was signed as the leading lobby group Transport 2000 warned the amount of traffic on Northern Ireland’s roads could double in 15 years unless action was taken to improve public transport.

It accused the UK Department of Regional Development of complacency and said even more money needed to be spent.