London Plan Further Alterations December 2006Freight on Rail is pleased to respond to this consultation.Definition of Freight on Rail Freight on Rail is a partnership between transport trades unions, rail freight industry and Transport 2000. 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. In particular, it aims to help local authorities through all stages of the process such as planning a rail freight strategy, accessing grants and dealing with technical matters.
The members are as follows: - Rail Freight Group, EWS, Freightliner, RMT, ASLEF, TSSA, AMICUS, Network Rail and Transport 2000 Freight on Rail believes that the London Plan should state that rail lands should be protected even where there is no evidence of future possible use because, as shown with the disposal of avoiding lines, economic factors change so it is critical to safeguard rail lands for future possible use. Once rail lands are gone, they are gone for ever to the railways and society. The judgment in the case of Mansard County Homes Ltd v Surrey Heath Council 2002 showed councils countrywide that they can protect disused railway land for future potential railway use, even where there is no immediate evidence of future possible use as long as the sites are protected in their Local Development Frameworks. One of the factors is that there are a limited number of sites which have the right criteria to be viable for rail freight facilitities making it all the more crucial that the ones that are suitable are safeguarded. Identify and, where appropriate, protect sites and routes, both existing and potential, which could be critical in developing infrastructure for the movement of freight (such as major freight interchanges including facilities allowing road to rail transfer or for water transport) and ensure that any such disused transport sites and routes are not unnecessarily severed by new development or transport infrastructure. In relation to rail use, this should be done in liaison with the SRA which is best placed to advise on the sites and routes that are important to delivering wider transport objectives; It is vital that the GLA guidance to the London boroughs directs them to protect such sites. Dft Rail Directorate rail freight section Rail Freight Group All the rail freight operators Network Rail Freight on Rail It is hard to comment further as the Supplementary Planning Guidance on Land for Transport functions has not formally been issued since the consultation in May 2006. Capacity and capability improvements to the Gospel Oak to Barking line will provide diversionary routes for freight to relieve pressure on routes such as the North London Line via Stratford. We support the policy to ensure that suitable sites and facilities are made available to enable the transfer of freight to rail through the protection of existing sites and the provision of new sites. It is vital that the development of national rail routes which can relieve London of some rail freight traffic include capacity upgrades as well as capability enhancements otherwise the rail freight operators will not be able to offer customers the service they require. We support this policy Policy 3.218 We support this policy and would add that PPG13 is important to allow local authorities to protect sites through their LDFs even where there is no future potential rail use identified. Please refer to my comments under policy 3C.4 for details on PPG13 relating to site protection. Philippa Edmunds Freight on Rail Campaigner |
