The Downpatrick and County Down Railway (DCDR) in Northern Ireland is asking the Northern Ireland government to ensure that heritage railways are treated the same as greenway projects.
The railway urged Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins to give heritage railways the same treatment after an announcement that funding will be provided to carry out a feasibility study and design work for a proposed greenway along the former railway line between Downpatrick and Ardglass. The railway’s view is that using the old trackbed for a greenway could have a significant impact on its operation and long-term viability.
There is a wider structural issue around the difference in public support for the different uses of former railway lines. Whilst proposals for greenways can access funding from Stormont for their feasibility and design work, there is no similar access for proposals to develop heritage railways along the same corridors.
The result is that heritage railways will be in direct competition with publicly funded proposals, even though they must rely almost entirely on charitable income and the efforts of unpaid volunteers. One option is being supported and developed with public funds, while there is no comparable support for the other option. It’s difficult to make a fair decision on the best use of a route if only one option is assessed in detail.
In November 2024, torrential rain caused disastrous flooding in Downpatrick, which forced the railway to cease operations for six months.
“We are not opposed to greenways in principle. Well-planned greenways can deliver real benefits for communities, active travel and tourism. Our concern is specifically about proposals that would place a greenway on or immediately alongside a single-track operational heritage railway. We had received clear assurances from both Infrastructure Ministers John O’Dowd and Liz Kimmins in person, as well as written confirmation from the Department, that there were no plans for greenways affecting this corridor. Against that background, it is difficult to understand how a competing use has now progressed to publicly funded feasibility and design work without further engagement.”
Robert Gardiner, chairman of the Downpatrick and County Down Railway
Responses
Just find it unfair how the council is screwing over the largest irish gauge heritage railway, this is 13km they will miss out on if the council follow through, keep in mind the railway is rougly 5km, so this is blocking LOADS of tourist opportunities for the area AND NI as a whole