Direct Rail Services joins Freight on Rail
15th January 2008
Freight on Rail is pleased to announce that Direct Rail Services (DRS) has joined the campaign group, ‘Freight on Rail’, a partnership between rail trade unions, the rail freight industry and Campaign for Better Transport, who work together to promote the social, economic and environmental benefits of rail freight.
Neil McNicholas MD of Direct Rail Services said, “ We want to foster good, strong working relationships with our industry partners and are keen to engage and promote the benefits of moving freight on rail as a way forward for the future. Working with Freight on Rail will allow us to have a stronger voice in the campaign to tackle climate change and alleviate road congestion”.
DRS jointly received the ‘Freight Achievement of the Year’ Award for 2007 in partnership with Eddie Stobart Limited and Tesco for the transportation of Tesco freight from Daventry to Grangemouth operating 5 days a week and saving around 6000 tonnes of CO2 per year and eliminates 14,560 lorry journeys from the UK congested roads and this equates to £4.7 million of ‘green’ benefits. This is a testimony of the success of bringing freight on rail and it requires the joint commitment from the industry.
Freight on Rail's campaigner Philippa Edmunds, expressed her delight at the affiliation:
"This is an exciting time for rail freight with the Government committed to the strategic rail freight network and key rail freight enhancements projects on rail routes to the ports.
Direct Rail Services which transports transporting fast moving consumer goods, high value products and time sensitive cargoes for a number of premium logistics providers, brings important expertise to Freight on Rail. They are the third rail freight haulier to support Freight on Rail, joining other operators EWS and Freightliner as members.
Freight on Rail works with regional and local authorities which set the framework for rail freight. Without the appropriate national, regional and local planning framework, the rail freight industry can neither obtain planning permission to develop new rail freight interchanges nor justify long-term investment to increase freight carried by rail.
“Rail freight is vital to our economy to alleviate congestion and protect the environment and society. Rail has a crucial role to play in the climate change debate; tonne for tonne carried rail produces five times less carbon dioxide emissions than road transport”.
“Not only does rail freight have a much better environmental record than road freight, rail is significantly more energy efficient than road, as energy efficiency is directly related to carbon dioxide emissions. Simply visualize that an aggregates train can remove 120 HGVs 1.. from our roads to understand that rail freight offers a key alternative mode at a time when Britain's roads are increasingly congested, resulting in longer journey times and more unreliable road transportation.”
1. Network Rail 2008
Notes to editors
For further information contact please contact Philippa Edmunds at Freight on Rail on 020 8241 9982 email: philippa@freightonrail.org.uk: web site www.freightonrail.org.uk and Eva Foran, Communications Liaison Manager Direct Rail Services
Tel: 01228 406516 Mobile: 07736899055 Email: eva.foran@drsl.co.uk