Regional Freight Rail Show
14th October 2004
Freight on Rail and the East of England Regional Assembly are jointly
organising a rail freight event for local authorities in Ely on Thursday
21st October 2004. The aim of the event is to raise the profile with
local authorities of the opportunities available to encourage greater
use of the rail system for freight movements. The need for rail has
seldom been stronger with severe unreliability due to congestion on
the road network, huge HGV driver shortages and impending higher costs
with the introduction of the Working Time Directive next April.
Councillor John Reynolds, Chair of the Regional Planning Panel, and
a Cambridgeshire County Councillor is chairing the event. He said,“Regional
policy promotes the carriage of freight by rail and water – we
want to explore ways in which this can be done most effectively. Recognising
rail's role in the region's expanding economy, the East Of England Regional
Assembly is seeking to set the framework for the movement of goods by
rail through its Regional Spatial Strategy. The Government needs to
enhance the rail network to enable the rapid movement of east west rail
freight shipments."
Delegates attending the seminar will examine the opportunities to realise
the potential for freight on rail. They will also visit the Ely rail
freight terminal run by the Potter Group, which is a leading independent
UK road and rail logistics service provider with160,000 sq m of warehousing
in five regional distribution centres. As one of the UK’s largest
independent rail terminal operators the Group has invested heavily in
rail freight and inter-modal container services in its Selby and Knowsley
centres. The group is currently investing several million pounds to
provide full rail freight and container management facilities in its
Ely centre, an environmentally responsible brown-field development.
Chairman Derrick Potter added: “Switching more goods to rail is
one of the most effective ways for local authorities to help tackle
road congestion; it provides a more environmentally responsible way
to move goods and has proved a sound commercial decision for businesses
in all parts of the economy.”
Freight on Rail campaign co-ordinator Philippa Edmunds said: "The
East of England will be the fastest growing region in the next twenty
years and we want to play our part in providing the right infrastructure
to champion sustainable economic growth while limiting the environmental
and social impacts. We are committed to helping local and regional authorities
promote rail freight and are very conscious of the obstacles they face.
These events, where the industry can make constructive comments as well
as listening to the issues authorities face, are designed to help this
process”.
Notes to editors:
Freight on Rail
Freight on Rail, a partnership between transport trades unions, ASLEF,
RMT and TSSA, the rail freight operators EWS, Freightliner, GB Railfreight,
Network Rail, the Rail Freight Group and Transport 2000, 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 and regional authorities through
all stages of the process such as planning a rail-freight strategy,
accessing grants and dealing with technical matters.
For further information contact:- Philippa Edmunds, Freight on Rail
campaigner
Tel: 0208 241 9982 email philippa@freightonrail.org.uk;
web site www.freightonrail.org.uk
The East of England Regional Assembly
The East of England Regional Assembly (EERA) is the designated Voluntary
Regional Chamber under the Regional Development Agencies Act 1998. The
Assembly exists to promote the economic, social and environmental well-being
of the region through a partnership of elected representatives and appointed
representatives from social, economic and environmental interests within
the region.
For future information contact Lucy Haughey or Dona Baker at Band and
Brown
Tel: 01603 4177 web site www.eera.gov.uk