A little while ago, I suggested that every bus and train with the word “Derry” on it should be free during the 2013 UK City of Culture. It was in order to help people get there. To open up the City of Culture to people who might be socially or economically excluded.
So far, the government has responded that even doing a “study” to determine whether this would be a good thing would be too much money. And, besides, they intend to close the railway line between *everywhere* and Derry during the 2013 calendar.
“The project will require the complete closure of the railway line between Coleraine and Derry~Londonderry from July 29 until spring next year. All work is planned to take place during sociable hours… – Source: Derry Journal“
I mean, if you were going to close the line at any time of the year or day, you would think that during the City of Culture year would be the worst possible time.
That is rather Special… To put it nicely.
Translink lobbied for years to get the work done properly – not in three bits – and complete it this year or sooner. This is the best they could get from DRD, and pushing it into future years could have seen the line deteriorate beyond useability, besides issues of funding only being able this year.
Slight lack of vision by DRD.
It’s beautiful. The relationship between Translink and DRD is a perfect circle of blame-shifting.
In this particular case, it’s easy. Translink can’t afford to pay for any capital works out of its own pocket – DRD fund them 100%, so call the shots as to how much work is done when.