Chamber President, Padraig Canavan on Derry - Coleraine rail line

Padraig Canavan, President of the Londonderry Chamber of Commerce, said:

"The Chamber remains very concerned at the failure of the Department for Regional Development to proceed with the upgrade of the Derry-Londonderry rail line to Coleraine, as promised by the last regional development minister, Conor Murphy. We note Conor Murphy's comments that he sees no reason why the upgrade cannot go ahead in the same timeframe - the current Budget period - as he had outlined when minister.

"It is essential that we all understand what has gone wrong here and to get the upgrade 'back on track'. We therefore call on the Assembly's Regional Development Committee to investigate the matter and establish why the funds for this investment have apparently disappeared and where they have gone to. We hope the outcome of such an investigation will lead to the investment being reinstated in the Department's Budget. The Chamber intends to write to the Regional Development Committee chair, Mr Jimmy Spratt MLA, to request that such an investigation takes place.

"The Chamber wishes to express its appreciation of the manner in which the Telegraph has continued to pursue this story, which is of enormous importance to the population of the North West."