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Chunnel will cut use of 38-tonners says 12000
Page 7
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• Up to 10% of all HGV traffic currently running on the M25 could be switched to rail when the Channel Tunnel opens, according to a new report commissioned by the environmental pressure group Transport 2000 which suggests that this figure could be as high as 24% based on combined transport movements.
Using British Rail's predicted traffic flow patterns and its own research, Transport 2000 says the overall reduction in traffic flow would be around 211 million HGV kilometres, while combined movement savings could be 439 million HGV kilometres in the first year of Chime' operation.
Transport 2000 claims that the figures represent a reduction mostly in 38-tonne vehicles, with resulting environmental benefits, including 21 million-a-year from the reduction in accidents, along with "beneficial effects on noise and air pollution and on road damage".
The report's author's, Steer Davie & Gleave, say: "There is a real potential for BR's share of the freight market at least to reach a position more akin to those of its continental counterparts."
The figures produced by the research on the reduction of HGVs likely to come about on the MI, when the Channel Tunnel opens is noticeably lower, at 6.3%, but combined transport movements — those using containers, piggyback and demountables — could be as high as 24%.
L..1 Speaking at a recent conference on the Channel Tunnel organised by Transport 2000, FTA director of international transport and distribution Jack Welsh said that while the Channel Tunnel could offer advantages to hauliers currently using the Dover-Calais ferry crossing, it would have to satisfy a number of major considerations including reliability, speed, flexibility, frequency and price.
"So far there seems a slight balance in favour of the Tunnel, especially concerning Dover, but less so with other ports." He warned, however, that there is still a high degree of uncertainty.