A Donegal County Councillor is calling on the council to seek a meeting with the new Minister for Transport to advance a future rail connection between Letterkenny and Derry.
Independent Cllr Declan Meehan says the council should be proactive about sourcing funding for a feasibility study on the rail line.
Cllr Meehan said that Donegal should not wait for Stormont’s feasibility study into a Derry to Portadown real connection. This line would provide a direct linkage from Derry to Dublin.
“We should be seeking our own connection into that rail line,” Cllr Meehan told today’s council meeting. “The first important step of that would be to source financing of the feasibility study, not waiting on Stormont.”
Cllr Meehan pointed out that the highest levels of cross-border activity are between Derry and Donegal.
“And yet it doesn’t have rail connectivity,” Cllr Meehan said. “There’s only one point on the island where there is cross border or rail connection, and that is on the Dublin-Belfast lime between Dundalk and Newry.
“38% of all cross border workers are based and work out of Derry and 95% of those are travelling from Donegal – that illustrates the high level of cross border interdependency that exists between Derry and county Donegal.
“Not to mention the high levels of cross border activity in third and second level education, and it’s also worth noting that 40% of passengers who use City of Derry airport actually come from Donegal.”
Cllr Meehan said that it would be a “very reasonable request” for a delegation from Donegal County Council to seek a meeting with the Minister for Transport, Darragh O’Brien with a view to obtaining a portion of the multi-billion Irish infrastructure fund.
“In addition to the Stormont-commissioned feasibility study on the Derry to Portadown railway connection, they are also carrying out one which will place a stop near the airport and outside Derry. Having that connection from Letterkenny to Derry would open up public transport and rail connectivity to our two largest closest cities, Derry and Belfast, with also access to Derry City airport,” Cllr Meehan said.
Bryan Cannon, Director of Roads and Transportation, responded to say that Directorates in Donegal County Council will soon attend a meeting with All-Island Strategic Rail Review colleagues within Translink on the proposed route from Portadown to Derry. The Letterkenny link will be included in those discussions.
Mr Cannon added that the council will also write to the Minister following discussions with Translink so that studies
can be co-ordinated.
