Freight on Rail is a campaign working to get goods off roads and onto rail as an important step in developing a more sustainable distribution system.

Freight on Rail is a partnership between transport trades unions, freight operating companies, the Rail Freight Group and Campaign for Better Transport. It works to promote the economic, social and environmental benefits of rail freight both nationally and locally. It advocates policy changes that support the shift to rail and provides information and help on freight related issues to central, regional and local government.

Freight Policy 6.14

Given the Government’s legally binding commitments to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and the resulting recognition that freight transport emissions need to be reduced as part of this, we believe that the freight policy should have a strategic policy to promote rail freight, given that

Rail freight produces 70% less carbon emissions1 than the equivalent road journey,
GLA is promoting the blue ribbon network for water freight transport
GLA has a policy to reduce road congestion and road accidents
Government national policy supports the shift from road to rail see note 1
GLA support needed to encourage industry to invest in rail freight
GLA policy support needed to set the right regional planning framework so that planning permission can be obtained for medium and small terminals note 2.

Note 1
Government policy supports the shift from road to rail
The Strategic Rail Freight Network launched in 2008 sets out clear Government policy on how to expand rail freight. The Government’s High Level Output Specification includes £200m towards gauge and capacity enhancements for the period 2009-2014. As a result of this a series of upgrades to gauge and capacity on key routes from the ports are under way.

Note 2
Policy 6.15 cater for the large strategic rail freight interchanges but planning permission is needed for medium and small terminals as well.

Policy 6.14C LDF preparation
This policy to shift to rail relies on terminals/interchanges without which more freight cannot be transferred to rail. Therefore we ask that the wording in the section called LDF preparation section C c is changed to include not only railheads for aggregates but for the range of products as listed below.

The key existing and potential markets for rail freight into and out of London are:-

Bulk freight – construction materials, waste and containers
High value freight – cars car parts food and drink and containers
Premium freight – express parcels and mail
International freight – through the Channel Tunnel and ports

We would also point out that consolidation centres in C b could in certain circumstances be intermodal not simply road based and therefore location of consolidation centres should take into account the opportunities for the shift to rail and where possible be located by the railway.

Policy 6.15 Strategic Rail freight interchanges
We support the GLA policy outlined here

Table 6.3
List of transport schemes
Improved rail freight routes, electrification of the new rail link from Barking to Gospel Oak would offer significant passenger and freight benefits

A terminal in the Barking area linked to HS1 is important for developing services through the Channel Tunnel including European gauge trains. Important flow emanating from this route is high speed parcels and mail.

A link will be needed from HS1 to HS2 which caters for freight traffic

Philippa Edmunds Freight on Rail Manager Dec 18th 2009

1. DfT Logisitcs Perspective Dec 08 P8 section 10