Mr Patsy McGlone (Mid Ulster): To ask the Minister for Infrastructure regarding the Translink bus service from Castledawson to Derry, to detail (i) any assessment that has been made of the passenger capacity on the service, and (ii) any additional provision in place to deal with the increase in demand in September.
Minister for Infrastructure: This issue is an operational matter for Translink. I have sought the requested information and have been advised as follows:
From the beginning of September, Translink has experienced some capacity pressures on services operating out of Belfast on the 212 services during the morning peak. Its initial assessment indicates that this resulted from a combination of factors.
Coupled with the resumption of students attending university, Translink has noted an increase in passengers above the normal demand increase it would typically see at the beginning of September, there was also a rail line closure in place between Derry and Coleraine on Saturday 19 September, Sunday 20 September and Monday 21 September. A bus substitution service was in place and operated between Coleraine and the North West Transport Hub. However, some rail passenger demand from Belfast migrated to the scheduled 212 bus service rather than availing of the rail service to Coleraine and then transferring to the bus substitution service for the onward journey to Derry/Northwest Transport Hub. This placed exceptional capacity pressures on Translink’s scheduled 212 service.
Based on this increase in demand, Translink is now providing additional capacity on 212 services from Belfast to Derry during the morning peak as it continues to assess demand.
Longer term, Translink plans to align its services with the demand patterns of students attending the University of Ulster campuses at Magee and attract modal shift. However, in the current challenging financial environment, it will need to do this by using its existing resources in a way that balances this specific demand market with overall demand for services across its network.
ENDS
