Regional Development Minister Conor Murphy hopped on a plane today for a visit to the Netherlands to study a variety of rapid transit systems.

The trip - which comes on the back of proposals to create such a system in Belfast - is to educate the Minister on the various urban rapid transport options.

Outlining the objectives of the visit, Mr Murphy said: "I want the best rapid transit system for Belfast, one which will meet Belfast's current and future needs and encourage motorists out of their cars and onto public transport."

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The Minister had been given a specialist report, setting out options for rapid transit in Belfast covering both the routes and the technologies that could be used, including light rail and bus-based rapid transit options.

But to allow himself to make an informed decision, he felt that it was important to see "good examples of these different options" in use in other European cities - explaining his visit to Holland.

The Minister will visit bus based and light rail rapid transit systems operating in Amsterdam, a bus-based system in Utrecht, which uses innovative bi-articulated buses, and the Phileas bus rapid transit vehicle system in Eindhoven.

He will also visit the production facilities for Phileas, which are near Eindhoven.

Before catching his flight to Amsterdam, Mr Murphy met Belfast International Airport and Aer Lingus representatives to receive a presentation on development at the airport.

He said he was impressed with their plans for the future.

(VB/JM)