Transport Minister Danny Kennedy today visited the site of the new £27.8 million Train Maintenance Facility at Adelaide in South Belfast.

Minister Danny Kennedy said: "I can see that building and fitting out is well underway at the site where the structural framework is now complete. The completion date is due this autumn.

"By October this year, all twenty of the new CAF trains will have entered service and this new building will ensure that they will be maintained to the highest standard.

"The continuing growth in passengers travelling by train demonstrates the value of this investment. Passenger numbers rose again during the last year with a record 10.7 million passengers travelling by train. This is the highest level recorded since 1967 and represents an impressive 71% customer growth since 2002. The new Train Maintenance facility clearly reflects my Department’s and the Executive’s aim of improving and modernising rail services for passengers in Northern Ireland."

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The new facilities at Adelaide will include: an engineering depot, staff accommodation facilities, re-fuelling facility, train wash, train stabling facilities and material storage area.

Translink Group Chief Executive Catherine Mason said: "Working closely with Graham Construction, we have ensured that community engagement and environmental responsibility remain a constant focus. For example, we have used low carbon concrete and employed a range of waste reduction measures as well as regularly updating local community groups on our progress.

"The new facility is situated beside our contact centre and state-of-the-art Rail Operations Training Academy making this South Belfast site an important hub for train maintenance, employee training and customer service delivery."

Graham Construction was appointed as the contractor and work started on site in April 2011.

(CD/GK)