Upgrade of cross London rail freight and passenger route welcome26th November 2008 Freight on Rail welcomes the upgrade to the key freight and passenger route across London, (the North London Line), announced by the Government as part of its Sustainable Transport System. This is a crucial artery for freight traffic from Tilbury, the East Coast ports and the forthcoming major redevelopment of the Thames Gateway. Philippa Edmunds, Freight on Rail Campaigner said " We are pleased that the importance of this vital cross London rail route for freight is being recognised. Not only can each container freight train using this route remove up to 50 HGVs from our roads but this rail traffic will produce at least three times less carbon dioxide than road distribution1. Rail offers a low carbon, energy efficient, safer2 alternative."
1. The North London Line, part of Overground, will be upgraded from two to four track to Camden Road with additional signalling enhancements on the route. 2. Freight emissions HGVs only represent 6% of miles travelled3, even though they represent 23% of domestic transport emissions. Freight on Rail believes that HGV emissions figures are being underestimated by around 12% while vans and buses are being overestimated. See attached MTRU Freight figures explanatory note. HGV emissions are growing; Emissions from HGVs are growing -1 HGVs traffic have grown 20% since 1990 resulting in a 14% rise in CO2 emissions - Carbon Pathways DfT 2008 3. Safety benefits of rail DfT statistics show that on motorways, HGVs are over three times as likely as cars to be involved in fatalities from road accidents per billion kms travelled. DfT Goods Vehicles Accidents and Casualties September 2008 Safety comparison - 1 rail passenger died during 2007. 4 Congestion benefits of rail An aggregates train can remove 120 HGVs from our roads1.
1. Rail freight produces between three to five times less carbon emissions than road per tonne carried depending on cargo carried EWS 2008. 2. DfT statistics show that on motorways, HGVs are over three times as likely as cars to be involved in fatalities from road accidents per billion kms travelled. DfT Accidents and Casualties 2007 issued September 2008 3. Iain Knight Transport Research Laboratories Commercial Motor 17th July 2008 and DfT TSGB. |