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Go ahead for Howbury Park rail freight interchange in SE London good for economy and environment4th January 2008 Freight on Rail welcomes the Government’s planning approval for the rail freight interchange at Howbury Park in South East London. The Howbury Park interchange will be an important part of the network of strategic rail freight interchanges needed to ensure that rail freight can play its full role in serving the economy by distributing goods in a fast reliable manner as well as alleviating road congestion and reducing carbon emissions. Freight on Rail supported the application to build a rail freight interchange at Howbury Park during the Public Inquiry and gave written evidence stating that very special circumstances applied regarding the use of green belt in this case as there is no an alternative site within the defined catchment area. This judgement is a test case for getting planning permission for interchanges in the SE and London regions. Philippa Edmunds, Freight on Rail Campaigner said “ We view Howbury Park as essential for the success of rail freight movement to, from and across London, and a key part of implementing Government strategy for promoting rail freight. Without permission for interchanges rail freight volumes cannot be expanded so this is great news for society and the economy.” She continued, “The official National Strategic Rail Freight Interchange (SRFI) policy identified a need for 3-4 major interchanges in the Greater London area if Government policy to shift freight to sustainable modes is to be realised as rail freight volumes cannot grow without terminals to tranship freight. Rail freight can act as a freight bypass and has a crucial role to play in delivering a carbon-friendly transport policy in line with the Department for Transport’s framework to deliver a low carbon transport policy. Just visualise that an average freight train can remove 50 HGVs from our roads.” This decision is in line with the Eddington Review which highlighted the importance of inland connections to International gateways. The Transport Select Committee stated in its Ports Inquiry report issued Jan 2007 ‘Much of our future freight growth will have to be focused on rail, inland water and coastal shipping; the burden of this will fall on rail’. In regeneration terms, the interchange could introduce up to 2000 direct new jobs and more indirect jobs to the area. For more details contact Philippa Edmunds at Freight on Rail on 020 8241 9982 or 07981 881410 (mobile) or by email at philippa@freightonrail.org.uk. www.freightonrail.org.uk Freight on Rail is a partnership between ASLEF, TSSA, RMT, UNITE – AMICUS section, EWS, Freightliner, the Rail Freight Group and Campaign for Better Transport. Notes to editors IR SE - Inspector's report to the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government Final DL - Summary statement from CLG Tonne for tonne carried, rail freight produces five times less carbon dioxide emissions than road freight and up to fifteen times less noxious emissions. An aggregates train can remove 120 HGVs from our roads – Network Rail 2007 A container train can remove 50 HGVs from our roads – Network Rail 2007 Emissions from HGV traffic have grown significantly since 1990, by 25-30%, using the revised DEFRA assessment. HGV traffic is an important source of greenhouse emissions from transport, second only to cars/vans and to international aviation.
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