Transport Minister Danny Kennedy and Translink Group Chief Executive Catherine Mason, has marked the official opening of the newly extended Carrickfergus Train Station Park and Ride.

Danny Kennedy said: "This investment of around £800,000 extends the Carrickfergus Train Station Park and Ride facility, with 295 spaces now available for commuters to use. I hope this new facility will encourage more people in the area to choose the train, as well as helping to accommodate growing passenger numbers and alleviate traffic congestion in the local area.

"The Park and Ride initiative forms an important part of my Department’s plans to provide customers with integrated and attractive travel solutions. In recent years, the number of sites and spaces have been increased and are extensively used by the travelling public right across the network. There are now over 4,800 parking spaces at Park and Ride sites around Northern Ireland."

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Minister Kennedy added: "The opening of this new facility is timely as it will support the planned introduction of the new Class 4000 trains on the Larne line in the Autumn. My Department is providing funding of £114million to purchase 20 new trains and all of the old trains currently operating on the Larne line will be replaced."

The extension of the Carrickfergus Train Station to 295 spaces has created an additional 169 car parking spaces at the site, including 15 bays for people with reduced mobility.

Translink Group Chief Executive Catherine Mason said: "Having great Park and Ride facilities like these for our customers is all part of our drive to provide good value, attractive integrated travel solutions. This newly extended facility will play an important role in meeting the needs of our passengers in East Antrim.

"We have frozen our fares at last year’s levels until next year so we also want to remind commuters that using the train could help save them money in these austere times. We offer a range of value for money tickets for both commuters and leisure travellers and this new extended facility now makes it even easier for passengers to interchange between the car and train. As we head into the busy autumn period when traffic congestion is expected to increase, we would encourage more consumers to try the service and start reducing their fuel costs and car parking fees.

"Over half a million passenger journeys are already made annually to and from Carrickfergus Station. With an attractive timetable, including express journeys between Carrick and Belfast taking less than 20 minutes and new trains starting to be introduced on the Larne line we are looking forward to attracting even more people to choose the train as the better, convenient hassle-free way to travel," she concluded.

(GK)