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12 February 2002

DRD ISSUE EQUALITY IMPACT ASSESSMENT ON ANTRIM-KNOCKMORE RAILWAY LINE

Regional Development Minister, Peter Robinson, MP MLA said today the decision on the future of the Antrim to Knockmore railway line will not be taken solely on the basis of the Equality Impact Assessment (EQIA) issued today by his Department.

He said that financial, economic and social factors would be taken into account in the decision making process and that he would also be reflecting carefully on views expressed during the consultation period.

The purpose of the Equality Impact Assessment was to assess any adverse impact the proposed discontinuance of services on the Antrim-Knockmore Railway Line might have upon the various groups of individuals who use the line.

The assessment found that any adverse impact would be low due to the small proportion of the population in the surrounding area who use the line. Furthermore, the adverse impact will be considerably lessened by the provision of bus substitution arrangements.

In summary, the assessment concluded that discontinuing services would not give rise to any disproportionate adverse impact.

Regional Development Minister Peter Robinson said: "Decisions on the future of the line will not be taken on the basis of the conclusions of the Equality Impact Assessment alone. Other factors must be taken into account, especially the wider social and economic factors.

"I will wish to reflect carefully on the options available to me and on views put forward during the consultation process.

"However, without significant investment the future of the line cannot be secured. Getting the balance right between competing transportation priorities is a challenge for all of us, particularly against a backdrop of decades of under investment in our transportation network.

"Ultimately, any decision to discontinue the services on this line will require the agreement of the Assembly."

NOTES FOR EDITORS:

  1. The statutory procedure for discontinuing services on railway lines is set out in Section 60 of the Transport Act (NI) 1967. If, as in this case, the railway operating company (Northern Ireland Railways) receives valid objections on the grounds of hardship to its proposal to discontinue services on a line, it must refer the matter to the Minister for Regional Development. The company may not discontinue services, without first obtaining the Minister’s consent and the Minister may not give such consent until the Assembly has approved a proposal for the discontinuance.

  2. A consultation document on the EQIA was issued on 31 August for a period of 12 weeks. Over 300 consultation documents were sent out to those on the Department’s consultee list. In response to telephone and email requests a further 47 copies of the consultation document were issued. At the end of the 12-week consultation period, 24 responses were received: 14 from organisations, 3 from Local Government Councils, one from a MLA and 6 from interested members of the public.

  3. The EQIA sets out how the proposal to discontinue services on the Antrim to Knockmore railway line might impact on the nine equality groups listed in Section 75 of the Northern Ireland Act 1998. These are defined as gender, religious belief, political opinion, age, race, disability, marital status, sexual orientation and those with dependents.

  4. Low floor buses will resolve many of the concerns expressed about provision of suitable transport for the disabled, mothers with pushchairs and school children, should services be discontinued on the line. As the bus substitution fare is the same as the train fare, no additional financial burden would be placed on passengers.

  5. Services on the Antrim to Knockmore line were reduced as from the 10 June 2001, when the Antrim to Bleach Green line was reopened, as Translink does not have sufficient rolling stock to provide a full service on both lines. Currently, Translink provides a service of 3 trains each way on week days, 2 trains north bound and 3 trains south bound on Saturdays and one train each way on Sundays.

  6. Copies of the EQIA are available from the Department’s Transport (Policy and Support) Division at;

    River House
    48 High Street
    Belfast BT1 2AR

    and on the internet at www.drdni.gov.uk/transportpolicy

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