Building on rail freight potential in Wales

6 July 2005

Andrew Davies, Minister for Economic Development and Transport today (6 July 2005) addressed delegates at a transport conference about the Welsh experience of moving goods by rail.

More than 60 delegates from Wales and further afield attended the Rail Freight Workshop, hosted by Newport City Council and organised by Freight on Rail, at the Riverfront in Newport, to explore the many benefits of transferring goods by rail.

Andrew Davies, Minister for Economic Development and Transport said: ‘With traffic congestion costing UK businesses around £20 billion a year, a single freight train can remove up to 120 HGV journeys from UK roads. Here in Newport, ABP Sims Group and Newport City Council have led the way in switching goods from road to rail, supported by a Freight Facilities Grant from the Welsh Assembly Government.

"This is one of just four projects across Wales which have removed the equivalent of 25,000 lorry journeys from Welsh roads each year, with substantial economic and environmental benefits."

Cllr John Guy, Newport City Council Cabinet Member for Transport & Sustainable Development launching the event said "We are pleased to host an event to promote rail freight, as part of a sustainable freight policy so that it can play an important part in the regeneration of Newport and the region".

Freight on Rail Campaign co-ordinator Philippa Edmunds said "We are highlighting the opportunities to use rail as part of an integrated approach to transport. We aim to help local authorities promote rail freight and are very conscious of the obstacles that 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. The networking benefits for all parties to discuss the challenges cannot be underestimated and the tours are an excellent way of putting in context what is discussed in the workshop, too.”

Notes to editors:

Freight on Rail, a partnership between transport trades unions, 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.