Regional Development Minister Danny Kennedy arrived on a new train to open extended Park & Ride facilities at Translink's Antrim station.

The Minister travelled on the last of the twenty new trains to enter service, to open Antrim station's Park and Ride.

The extended Park & Ride facilities will provide a total of 180 car parking spaces for commuters using the Antrim station. This extension is part of a wider £2.9million investment to deliver Translink’s integrated rail and bus facility, which is part-funded through the Sustainable Stations Project (SUSstations), with EU Interreg IVB North West Europe Programme (NWE) support of €660,000 (£568,194).

-- Advertisement --

Arriving in Antrim station, on the new train’s first passenger journey, the Minister said: "The 20 new trains, which are part of the £150million investment in the New Trains Programme, are now in passenger service on busy commuter services across Northern Ireland, including the Antrim line. The new trains will pave the way for increased frequencies and capacity on the network."

Officially opening the Park & Ride, Danny Kennedy said: "The announcement sees the completion of the first two phases of the £2.9million redevelopment of the integrated Antrim Rail and Bus Station. The newly extended Park & Ride facility will provide a total of 180 much needed spaces for commuters using this busy station. An extension to the bus yard and Belfast bound platform waiting area has also been completed."

(CD/GK)