Independent of the promised phase 3 of the long delayed track relay, there is a disparity in service along the existing rail network.

Due to rail network cuts in the last century which has left the North-West of the island with just one remaining railway line, the 35 mile section from Derry to Coleraine, the rail network has retrenched to become effectively a Belfast suburban network.

This focus on the needs of Belfast, rather than serving all areas of the remaining network, has lead to a timetabling bias which discourages use of the rail line near Derry.

Into the West identified six issues that could be easily rectified and which, with the exception of issue 2, could be fixed by timetabling changes without the need for any track improvements or infrastructural investment.

This means that five of the “Six to Fix” have no capital outlay but provide an immediate revenue uplift to Translink.

This is surely a win-win which is why Into the West have campaigned for these changes, even leaving aside the larger issue over the acceptablabilty of Northern Ireland’s 2nd city (and 4th biggest on the island) to face a significantly poorer quality of rail service than even small villages in the East enjoy on the same line.

In Spring 2020, Into the West were pleased that point 3 was resolved. We continue to campaign on the other points.