FREIGHT TRANSPORT ASSOCIATION : FTA CALLS FOR COMMON SENSE DEBATE ON RAIL FREIGHT

FTA calls for common sense debate on rail freight

JT/CS/068/09

For immediate release, 21 July 2009

FTA calls for common sense debate on rail freight

Common sense should take precedence in decisions on where to site rail freight interchanges and terminals.  That's the view of the Freight Transport Association following the decision of St Albans District Council to reject plans for a new interchange at Radlett Despite regular calls from the public for a greater number of goods to be moved off roads and onto rail, proposals to build interchanges are often met with local protest.

Christopher Snelling, FTA Head of Rail Freight Policy said:

'We are all very conscious of our impact on the environment and we must all play our part to reduce carbon emissions While FTA fully understands that local impacts have to be managed and minimised, it is clearly in our national environmental interest that sufficient terminals are built.

'The rail freight industry has ambitions to almost double rail's market share to 20 per cent over the next 30 years.  The Government is spending millions upgrading rail lines, and retailers and manufacturers are working to adjust their logistics arrangements to incorporate rail.  But none of this will help if the freight cannot get on and off the network at the right place.'

ENDS

Notes for editors For further information please contact FTA's media team on 01892 552255/01892 552253 or, out of hours, on 07985 874248 or 07818 450425.

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