Ulster Unionist representatives Jon Burrows MLA and Gary Simpson have urged the Department for Infrastructure to find a practical way to improve passengers’ access to Ballymoney Train Station, after residents complained that the station building and toilets are often closed.
Mr Burrows has written to the Infrastructure Minister asking the department to review access to the facilities. The complaints raised with him included reports that the building is not regularly open and that the toilets are frequently locked.
Mr Burrows said the closures could cause particular difficulty for parents travelling with young children. He acknowledged in his letter that keeping public toilets open around the clock might not be practical, but called for a solution that would make the facilities available when passengers need them.
“Ballymoney Train Station is an important facility for the town and for people travelling to work, education, and appointments further afield,” Mr Burrows said.
He said constituents had told him they had arrived at the station to find the building closed and the toilets unavailable. He added that he was not calling for the station to remain open 24 hours a day, but said passengers should have reasonable access to its facilities.
“If we are serious about encouraging people to use public transport, the facilities available to passengers need to be accessible and fit for purpose,” he said.
Mr Simpson, the UUP’s Ballymoney representative, described the station as one of the town’s most important strategic assets and said it should be suitable for working families.
He questioned the value of maintaining a public building that, in his view, was effectively closed to the public. He said passengers were seeking access to the facilities while travelling, rather than making an unreasonable request.
Mr Simpson also called for “a little common sense”, echoing Mr Burrows’ appeal for a workable arrangement.
The representatives said they would continue to press for a solution that gave passengers reasonable access to the station building and facilities, while recognising the practical considerations involved in managing the site.
