Merseyside automotive freight terminal expansion threatened by leisure development
27th April 2011
Freight on Rail 1, warned that allowing the existing automotive freight hub at Speke to be re-developed by Benmore for leisure and retail would be a devastating loss to the Merseyside economy and community.
Shadow Secretary of State for Transport and local MP for Garston & Halewood, Maria Eagle said,
“The economic and environmental case for greater use of rail for transporting freight is well established. That’s why it is so vital that we do not lose freight transport hubs such as at Speke in my constituency. The loss of this terminal which serves the automotive sector would not only cost local jobs, but be a huge setback to efforts to promote modal connectivity and move to more sustainable methods of the transportation of goods.”
Philippa Edmunds Freight on Rail Manager said, “ The loss of this thriving intermodal terminal, would have huge economic 2 and environmental implications for the economy of Greater Liverpool and the North of England. The importance of 188 highly skilled jobs at the site, dismissed by the developer as a vehicle yard, which has supported car manufacturing on Merseyside for over 45 years and continues to support a supply chain of at least 30 local companies, is in danger of either being overlooked or ignored, if Liverpool City Council grant planning permission to Benmore 3.”
She added” It seems perverse to destroy an expanding local and regional business, with well established skilled direct and indirect jobs, which is using sustainable transport 4 at the only viable rail connected site in the region for the promise of future possible jobs which could easily be located in an area that would not threaten the expansion of freight on rail.”
Ford Transport Operations use Speke to distribute Ford vehicles. It is the major Northern hub for Ford Transport Operations and enables a large proportion of Ford UK vehicle volume to be delivered efficiently by rail. Ford is committed to the continued operation of the Speke site and will pursue its potential for future growth.
Notes to editors
Letter of support for Speke automotive freight terminal from Maria Eagle, Shadow Secretary of State for Transport and local MP
Towerbeg (subsidiary of Benmore) Planning Application for phase one 11F/0762.
1. Freight on Rail, a partnership of the rail freight industry, the transport unions and Campaign for Better Transport, works to promote rail freight with central and local Government
2. The Speke terminal, run by Ford underpins the automotive sector cluster in South Liverpool and is therefore strategically important. It can handle 4000 vehicles and there are 50 car transporters based at the site to handle the onward distribution by road of the cars arriving by rail to dealers and customers across Northern England and Scotland.
3. Granting planning permission for retail and leisure would be a departure from the local plan and would require change of use from Primarily Industrial Area (Policy E1).
4. Speke receives two automotive trains each day from Dagenham transporting 400 cars with additional rail services from Southampton.
An average freight train can remove 50 long distance HGVs and an aggregates train can remove up to 160 long distance HGVs from our roads. Source Network Rail 2011
Rail freight produces 70% less carbon dioxide emissions than the equivalent road journey
Source DfT Logistics Perspective Dec 2008 P8 section 10 Rail produces around 0.05kg of CO2 per tonne km compared to around 0.17 kg for road.
