Stormont Transport Minister Conor Murphy has visited the site of the £12.5m Derry railway line works.

During the visit to Ballymoney Railway Station, which is the operational site of the work underway on the section between Ballymena and Coleraine, the Minister met with Translink officials and project contractors to discuss progress to date.

Mr Murphy said he appreciates the importance of the railway line between Belfast and Derry.

"I welcome the opportunity to see the progress being made on this project to extend the track life of the line."

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The Minister said he remains committed to "reversing decades of under-investment in the North-West region".

According to the Minister: "This extension project will allow the general speed on the Ballymena to Coleraine line to rise to 70mph and once the planned relay of the railway line between Coleraine and Derry is completed, journey times between Belfast and Derry will be reduced by 30 minutes, with commuter trains arriving in Derry before 9.00am for the first time.

"In addition to this, in late March I signed the contract for 20 new trains at a cost of over £105million and as a result, there will be increased train frequencies on this line."

The line between Ballymena and Coleraine is currently closed to facilitate the relaying of the track. A bus substitution service is operating and the line is due to re-open in late June.

Both sections of line from Ballymena to Coleraine and Coleraine to Derry are currently running at a general 60mph, with specific temporary speed restrictions at various locations.

(PR/JM)