Rail freight back en track
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The rail industry is cock-a-hoop over proposals In the strategy to invest an extra .f,4bn in rail freight over the next 10 years. Bail Freight Croup chairman Lord Berkeley says: "We welcome this 10-year transport plan. Such longer-term commitment on funding and policy is what the industry urgently needs."
The plan aims to see an 80% increase In the freight carried by rail by the end of the period, but a spokesman for the RHA's southern and eastern region says: "I have been told that even if a 300% increase In rail freight were achieved it would still mean that 85% of freight would be carried by road," The Freight Transport Association adds: 'This increase will only amount to an extra 4% of the total freight carried on the railways."
Both organisations, plus a number of haulage firms, approve of the plan to invest more In rail freight and the feeling in the industry Is that there are certain services, such as just-in-time deliveries, which can only be provided by road.
The FTA, whose remit embraces rail as well as mad transport, says: "What we want to see is a level playing field and, although rail gets another boost through these proposals, this is not the main problem. The level playing field can only be achieved if there is a reduction in fuel taxes and VED.
"We do not see rail as a threat to road haulage. The main threat comes from foreign companies running over here on cheap diesel.
"If we are not careful this problem could wipe out large segments of the British road haulage industry."
The RIM agrees. "We have always backed the development of rail freight, especially for moving bulk goods long distances," says a spokesman, "This is an area where there is little profit for road haulage firms and it makes sense. But you don't get many trains round the back of a supermarket and this is where road transport can hold its own."
Arthur Upshall (above), managing director of AJK, says: "We are situated opposite a major Foster Yeoman quarry, The finn runs up to three stone-carrying trains a night which probably takes about 300 vehicles off the road. That is no problem but there are certain areas where the rail industry just cannot compete.
"It makes no sense for goods to be moved by road to a railhead, loaded on to a train, taken to another railhead and then loaded back on to a road vehicle to be taken to their eventual destination. This triple handling can result in goods being damaged. Even if the load does not get stuck in a siding for days, it is much slower. To take goods all the way by read is both cheaper and quicken"