Public consulted over railways

Northern Ireland lacks up-to-date rolling stock

By BBC NI's environment correspondent Mike McKimm

A task force set up to investigate the options for the future of Northern Ireland Railways is seeking views from the public.

The task force is comprised of civil servants, NIR staff and members of the parent company, Northern Ireland Transport Holdings.

It has also appointed a panel of experts to advise it.

In March, a controversial safety report, commissioned by the rail and bus operator Translink, claimed £183m should be spent on the rail network to make it safe.

The report said £72m needed to be spent replacing trains, £67m on relaying track and replacing six bridges, and redesigning and repairing trackside sea defences.

The findings led to the setting up of the task force to consider the system's future.

If the force does not recommend that the money should be made available, part of the system could be closed down.

Meanwhile, the Transport Holding Company is in Westminster to give evidence to the Northern Ireland Affairs Committee which is also investigating NIR.

Both reports are due to be published by the autumn.

'Under subsidised'

Earlier in May, figures obtained by the BBC showed NIR was under subsidised in comparison with other operators in the UK.

The statistics revealed that, in 1997, NIR was paid a subsidy of 5.2 pence per passenger mile from the government.

This compared to Scotrail's allowance of 22 pence per passenger mile, Cardiff Railway's subsidy of 35 pence and Merseyside Electric's of 41.5 pence.