Keep up with Armagh i

Restoration of Portadown to Armagh railway line recommended in new All-Island Rail Review

Armagh railway line

Restoration of the Portadown to Armagh railway line has been recommended in the new All-Island Strategic Rail Review.

The recommendation also includes a further extension from Armagh to Monaghan, all the way to Mullingar, via Clones and Cavan.

There are also plans around developing a new station at Craigavon.

Among the 30 recommendations laid out in the draft report is also constructing a new dual railway track, high speed train rail line between Portadown and Derry/Londonderry, as well as building a new direct line between Lisburn and Newry.

Related: Much-anticipated Portadown to Armagh railway study to be presented to Council

There are also recommendations to connect three of the island’s main airports – Dublin, Belfast International and Shannon which would give 90% of commercial aviation passengers access by train.

The estimated cost of implementing all these recommendations would be in the region of £30 billion and would take approximately 25 years to deliver.

The cost will be split between Northern Ireland (25%) and the Republic of Ireland (75%).

The review cannot be published until a Minister for Infrastructure is in place to sign it off.

Related: Re-imagining Armagh City Centre for the benefit of a railway line

Sign Up To Our Newsletter

Most read today

More in Armagh