Operators back rail
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• A total of 27 UK hauliers have bought a 36% share in intermodal venture Combined Transport (CTL), whose partners include British Rail. The Road Haulage Association has also taken a 3% stake.
The venture was officially launched this week by Transport Secretary Malcolm Rifkind and British Rail chairman Sir Bob Reid. The first service is already operating from Harwich to Liverpool via Birmingham and Manchester. port; Scac UK; TDG; Thompson Jewitt; Tibbett & Britten; United Transport; VTG Tanktainer; Wincanton and WPS Holdings.
Hauliers are limited to a maximum 2% holding on condition that they use CTL's services.
British Rail owns 10% of the new operation. Kombivekehr, a consortium of German hauliers with a minority railway holding, and Novatrans, a similar French operation, share 51%.
CTL says it is looking forward to the Channel Tunnel as "a major development" in the services it offers; but it will still use ferry services "if that is what the customer wants".