Cullybackey Area Signalling and Level Crossings Renewal

Gravis supported our client Translink in devising and implementing an extensive community engagement exercise in the Cullybackey area including public information events, webinars and a series of presentations to key stakeholders including community groups, schools, elected representatives and statutory agencies.

As regards community benefit, the ‘Friends of Buick’ initiative was supported, funding books, arts and crafts plus improvements to the nursery garden at Buick Primary School. This revived an intergenerational initiative between pupils and members of Cullybackey Community Partnership, who will now return to helping the children with reading and planting activities at the school. Another environmental initiative was developed with the Partnership to bring improvements to lands in the area known as ‘The Orchard’, creating more planting, new seating and signage for community use.

On another occasion, a site visit to the Cullybackey Station for P6 and P7 pupils enabled the Translink Level Crossings Risk Coordinator to explain the nature of the works at the station. A Careers talk linked to International Women in Engineering Day was also presented to pupils at Cullybackey College.

Finally, Translink sought to maximise the sustainability of the project by recycling used materials from construction works; for example, cable drums were donated to the Portglenone Men’s Shed for use in making furniture and planters in classes run for local people.

We are proud to have been part of this which epitomises Translink’s continuous commitment to bettering public transport as an essential public service while contributing to local communities. It deservedly won the Public Sector Campaign Silver Award at the CIPR NI PRide Awards 2023.