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ROADWAY'S ESSENTIAL HUB
Page 39
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The firm outlines the advantages of an inland intermod.
oadway Container Logistics (originally part of P&O but now, along with Pentalver and Bowmur, part of the Maersk shipping group) has invested substantially in its own intermodal terminal and adjacent warehouses at M42 J10 the Birmingham International Freight Terminal (BIFT).
Managing director Chris Lawrenson sees it as an essential hub of Roadway's internal UK container distribution network. In 2007 the firm handled more than 600 trains and 120,000 boxes through the site and traffic is growing.
Like the FTA he sees the envtronmental agenda as driving the new enthusiasm for road/rail terminals, but also cites other important reasons the lack of storage capacity and queues at ports, for example. "People see the risks in just-in-time deliveries (JIT) and see this as a way of eliminating them, by tracking containers to an inland terminal where customers can call them off when ready."
Roadway runs a road fleet of 265 attics, eight drawbars and up to 4E0 subcontracted vehicles. The rail element supports the hub-andspoke operation with port depots at Tilbury Felixstowe and Southampton, and inland container depots at Leeds, Manchester and BIFT. "We have the advantage of controlling our own infrastructure and can service ports by road and rail," says Lawrenson. Currently Roadway is handling Tesco traffic through BIFT and working with EWS, Freightliner and other rail freight companies which supply the engines and rolling stock, buying in rail time as required.
Lawrenson hopes that by using RCL's rail and truck capacity in a complementary fashion, they can spread freight volume more efficiently.