Into The West campaigners held a public meeting in Strabane Library on Monday, February 23. The event focused on restoring train services to Strabane and outlined the Metro NorthWest regional rail proposal.

The group covers Tyrone, Derry, Donegal and Fermanagh counties. It formed in 2004 to preserve the Derry to Coleraine rail line and now pushes for expanded rail in the north-west.

Metro NorthWest would extend existing lines from Derry to Coleraine and Portrush. New stations would open in Strabane, Omagh, Sion Mills and Newtownstewart. Trains would run from Letterkenny to Coleraine and Portrush via Derry and Omagh.

Proposed services include trains every 30 minutes from 7am to 11pm daily. The plan features pay-as-you-go with tap-in tap-out, bus network integration, added cycle space and full electrification.

Into The West chair Steve Bradley said attendees showed interest in bringing rail to Tyrone. He noted the All-Island Rail Strategy requires trains to return to Strabane, Omagh and Dungannon. A Rail Prioritisation Strategy lists these as priority projects.

Bradley stated the Derry to Portadown line restoration targets 2045 at earliest. He said this timeline risks further economic, population and tourism losses in Tyrone. The project projects 3 million annual passengers and topped the strategy rankings.

The group held a second meeting in Omagh three days later. Bradley urged residents to press elected representatives and council for quicker implementation.