Read on Twitter
Half of NI live outside the Belfast commuter belt, yet have much less access to rail.
If we had equal access to rail, here's what it would look like.
#EqualRailNI
If we had equal access to rail, here's what it would look like.
#EqualRailNI
Dots represent towns with train stations, either currently or under my model. Numbers beside them indicate number of train stations under the model.
The 'commuter belt' is defined as the four Belfast constituencies, plus the five bordering them.
The 'commuter belt' is defined as the four Belfast constituencies, plus the five bordering them.
Populations:
Commuter belt - 870,023
Outer - 940,840
Current stations:
Commuter belt - 39
Outer - 15
Population per station:
Commuter belt - 22,308
Outer - 62,723
The outer region has 64% worse access to rail.
It needs 27 more stations to have equal access.
Commuter belt - 870,023
Outer - 940,840
Current stations:
Commuter belt - 39
Outer - 15
Population per station:
Commuter belt - 22,308
Outer - 62,723
The outer region has 64% worse access to rail.
It needs 27 more stations to have equal access.
How do we decide where the stations go?
1. Set up a spreadsheet to run the d'Hondt formula
2. Put in the populations of all outer region settlements
3. Adjust populations for towns that already have stations
A small snippet:
1. Set up a spreadsheet to run the d'Hondt formula
2. Put in the populations of all outer region settlements
3. Adjust populations for towns that already have stations
A small snippet:
Once I decide this, I draw in the entire route from end to end, until it reaches another train station or the coast. This makes for a more functional network than building the bare minimum track to connect the towns with stations.
Q: Aren't Craigavon, Ballymena etc part of the commuter belt?
A: Maybe, but this is adjusted to be more politically practical. It covers half the constituencies, meaning it's represented by half of MLAs. It would be a good sell for everyone, if someone were to campaign for it.
A: Maybe, but this is adjusted to be more politically practical. It covers half the constituencies, meaning it's represented by half of MLAs. It would be a good sell for everyone, if someone were to campaign for it.
Q: I see some towns/villages in between new lines without dots, would you not build stations there?
A: Of course I wouldn't be against it - this is just to show the minimum network necessary to have equal rail coverage with the commuter belt and to have a functional network.
A: Of course I wouldn't be against it - this is just to show the minimum network necessary to have equal rail coverage with the commuter belt and to have a functional network.
Q: What about the Lisburn-Antrim line, to connect Belfast Intl?
A: The model only takes into account towns and their populations. It'd be perfectly sensible to add Lisburn-Antrim, and a Derry Airport station - no one would disagree with it.
A: The model only takes into account towns and their populations. It'd be perfectly sensible to add Lisburn-Antrim, and a Derry Airport station - no one would disagree with it.
Q: So is this the perfect network model?
A: No - it's based on achieving equality between inside + outside of the commuter belt, & political practicality. It doesn't take into account quality of service, etc.
But it does provide an order of priority for building stations/lines:
A: No - it's based on achieving equality between inside + outside of the commuter belt, & political practicality. It doesn't take into account quality of service, etc.
But it does provide an order of priority for building stations/lines:
