Ballast Cleaning

Translink is leading the transformation of public transport to create a better connected, healthier, and greener Northern Ireland. An effective and successful public transport network is vital for the economic, social, and environmental well-being of our society.

We currently maintain a £5bn railway asset across Northern Ireland which includes 300 miles of rail track and over 1,600 civil structures. Passenger demand for train services has increased significantly over the past number of years. We need to maintain our railway track, and ballast cleaning is an essential aspect of this. We are investing in track maintenance, this proposal will support our railway track infrastructure, contribute to maintaining service reliability, and reduce long term disruption.

To help support this investment, we are seeking planning permission to build a Railway Ballast Cleaning Depot in Ballinderry, this depot will be for the operation and maintenance of ballast cleaning equipment.

What is Ballast Cleaning?

Ballast cleaning is a maintenance process used in railway operations to ensure the stability and longevity of railway track. Ballast cleaning is an essential aspect of railway maintenance, helping to ensure safe and efficient train operations while extending the life of the track infrastructure.

It involves the cleaning or replacing the ballast, which is a layer of crushed stone or gravel placed under and around railway tracks. Ballast provides support and levels for railway sleepers, distributes the load from trains across the track, facilitates proper drainage, and enables smooth train journeys.

The existing railway track network has a life expectancy of 30 years, but this is dependent upon the regular cleaning of ballast to ensure that it is functioning well.

Ballast cleaning involves a specialised piece of railway maintenance equipment designed to clean and restore the ballast. This machinery operates directly on the railway track and is designed to run on the track like a train. The ballast is passed through the machine, with reusable ballast separated and cleaned. The cleaned ballast is returned to its original position with spoil removed. Any shortages in ballast are supplemented with new material to restore the required levels. Unusable material (spoil) is either stored temporarily for on-site use or transported to a depot for future reuse.

What We Are Proposing

A maintenance building for ballast cleaning and associated machinery
Staff welfare facilities
New railway sidings for loading and unloading of railway ballast materials
Ancillary works (such as internal access roads, landscaping, planting and parking areas etc.)

Public Consultation

We are currently seeking your views on our proposals and would greatly value your feedback. Your insights will play a vital role in shaping our final plans, which will be submitted to Lisburn and Castlereagh Council.

The Translink project team, in partnership with our engagement partner Gravis, invites you to a public drop-in session to discuss the proposals. This will take place on Wednesday, 19 February 2025, from 12:00 to 14:00 and 16:00 to 19:00 at Ballinderry Parish Church Halls.

This is an excellent opportunity to meet members of the project team, who will be on hand to answer your questions and provide further information about the proposals.

The consultation period for this project runs until Friday, 7 March 2025.

We encourage you to review the proposed plans and share your thoughts. Your feedback is invaluable.

How to Get Involved:

Email: ballastcleaningdepot@gravisplanning.com
Phone: 028 9692 7258 (follow instructions for ‘Ballast Cleaning Depot Project’)
Online Feedback Form: Available below
Post: Write to us at Gravis Planning, 1 Pavilions Office Park, Kinnegar Drive, Holywood, BT18 9JQ

To access our consultation materials, please visit www.gravisplanning.com/live-consultations.

We look forward to hearing your thoughts and working together to shape this important project.