Building on Regional Rail Freight Potential
15th September 2006
Freight
on Rail, Birmingham City Council and the West Midlands Regional
Assembly are jointly organising a rail freight conference for
local authorities in the Region on Friday 15th September, hosted
by the BMW Group. The event includes a site visit to Hams Hall
Intermodal Freight Terminal, conducted by ABP Connect.
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. In particular, it will focus on the following:
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National Policy on rail freight, including the Department for Transport’s (DfT's) High Level Output Specification and the forthcoming rail strategy.
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Implementation of the West Midlands Regional Freight Strategy.
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Planning issues related to the identification, protection and development of rail freight facilities.
Philippa Edmunds, Freight on Rail Campaigner said, “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.”
She added that, “This is a crucial time for the railways in the run up to the publication of the High Level Output Specification (HLOS), the long-term Rail Strategy and the Comprehensive Spending Review.”
Paul Mould, Terminal Manager of ABP Connect’s Hams Hall Railfreight Terminal, said:
“ABP Connect works very closely with its customers to develop rail freight solutions to suit their distribution needs. Together with our customers, we are able to relieve the UK’s roads of hundreds of thousands of lorry miles every year. Events such as today’s tour at our Hams Hall Railfreight Terminal are extremely important in highlighting how rail freight can not only benefit our customers, but the environment and road users as well.”
John
Hollis, Head of Government and Industrial Affairs for BMW Group
in the UK said: “BMW Group uses rail in its operations
where practical and cost effective. 35 per cent of all MINI production
is distributed from the Oxford plant by rail to mainland European
markets, resulting in a saving of 500,000 lorry miles per year
between the plant and the Port of Purfleet in Essex”.
Notes to editors:
Freight on Rail
Freight
on Rail, a partnership between transport trades unions, AMICUS,
ASLEF, RMT and TSSA, the rail freight operators EWS, Freightliner,
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. Website: www.freightonrail.org.uk
BMW Group in the UK
BMW
Group employs 8,000 people in the UK with an additional 11,000
people in its dealer network representing the BMW and MINI brands.
The UK is BMW Group’s third largest market by sales. BMW
(UK) Ltd is a subsidiary of BMW AG and was formed in 1980 with
a sales and marketing organisation based in Berkshire, and since
1996 a financial services organisation in Hampshire. The UK is
the second largest production market for BMW Group with production
plants at Oxford, where MINI is built, Hams Hall near Birmingham
that assembles all 4 cylinder petrol engines for the Group worldwide,
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Ltd. based in Goodwood and Swindon Pressings
Ltd.
ABP Connect
ABP
Connect is the value-added services division of Associated British
Ports’ (ABP), the country’s largest and leading ports
operator with 21 ports in and around the UK. Through its acquisition
and development of Hams Hall Railfreight Terminal, ABP Connect
has quickly established its position at the forefront of UK rail
freight distribution.
West Midlands Regional Assembly
The
West Midlands Regional Assembly (‘the Assembly’) represents
a wide range of democratic, social and economic interests throughout
the West Midlands region. The Assembly’s membership consists
of 100 nominated representatives, with 68 members representing
the local authority, 16 representing the business sector and 16
representing other economic matters of common concern including:
regional planning, transport, economic prosperity, sustainability,
culture and Europe. The Assembly is the Regional Planning Body,
and is also responsible for scrutinising the operation of the
region’s RDA, Advantage West Midlands. The Assembly is currently
developing a Regional Freight Strategy for the West Midlands.
For further information about the Assembly, visit its website www.wmra.gov.uk