BR looking for hauliers
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• British Rail is launching a pan-European inter-modal transport venture which will be controlled and owned by British hauliers.
UK operators will be invited to buy shares in the new operation, which will be launched in July. Although hauliers will hold the majority shareholding, shares will also be held by BRowned Railfreight, the German inter-modal organisation Kombiverkehr, and French company Novatrans.
BR is already searching for suitable medium-sized hauliers. It wants operators with about five swap bodies and says it only needs about 10 swap bodies to get the scheme up and running. The company will not say exactly how many hauliers it needs for the ven ture, but claims that hauliers will be able to get better rates if they buy into the company, as the bulk bookings will be cheaper than single rates.
A dozen BR Railfreight terminals will be used for the op eration, which will be based in London.
The company is also believed to be looking at a service from Zeebrugge to Harwich and Manchester, which will also use private hauliers.