New Railway Station (Lisburn)

Oral Answers to Questions — Regional Development – in the Northern Ireland Assembly at 3:00 pm on 7 October 2002.

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Photo of Patricia Lewsley Patricia Lewsley Social Democratic and Labour Party 3:00, 7 October 2002

3. asked the Minister for Regional Development to give the proposed timescale for the construction of the new railway station at Lisburn.

(AQO 270/02)

Photo of Peter Robinson Peter Robinson DUP

Translink has plans for a new bus station at Lisburn in its corporate plan for 2002-03 to 2004-05, and it has already commissioned an economic appraisal on its construction, which is due to be completed by the end of the year. If the option to construct a new bus station is accepted by the board of the Northern Ireland Transport Holding Company and by my Department, the next step will be to put the proposal out to tender. The project can commence when that process is completed, and it is hoped that work will begin before the end of this financial year.

Photo of Patricia Lewsley Patricia Lewsley Social Democratic and Labour Party 3:15, 7 October 2002

Will there be adequate provision for disabled access to the new station? Currently, people in a wheelchair and parents with prams have to cross the lines to reach the other side of Lisburn’s railway station.

Photo of Peter Robinson Peter Robinson DUP

I am happy to confirm that, when I last spoke to Translink about disabled access, it made it very clear that it considered that a priority, not merely for stations which it is constructing but for rolling stock. When we have more details of the proposal, I shall be happy to sit down with the Member and the group with which she is associated to examine the proposal and see if she considers it as adequate as Translink no doubt would.

Photo of Edwin Poots Edwin Poots DUP

Can the Minister confirm that there are problems with the site proposed by Translink and that meetings have taken place between it and the local council? Are we set on the site which Translink currently wants, or is there a possibility of identifying other sites which may be closer to the railway station and more conducive to traffic flows in Lisburn city centre?

Photo of Peter Robinson Peter Robinson DUP

I am not aware of any problem with the site. I know that Lisburn City Council would prefer it to be somewhere else. However, the site identified by Translink is one to which it has legal access, and which is, therefore, its obvious choice. It is an operational matter that the council will no doubt wish to take up with Translink directly. However, a station in the middle of Lisburn can be a help to the city centre and should not be considered a nuisance by anyone.