GRANTS
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• There are two major grants available to help promote rail traffic. Both were formally administered by the Department of Transport (contact: 1)20 7890 3000) but recently responsibility for them has passed to the Shadow Strategic Rail Authority (contact: 020 7654 6000 ).
Both grants are for freight facilities and can be used for capital projects like providing the necessary infrastructure. Several sources have said that in England the £40m available from these grants Is burning a hole in the SSRA's pocket because It cannot find enough people who want to take advantage of them.
In Scotland grants are administered by the Scottish Executive (contact: 0131 244 1111) and the take up rate Is much higher north of the border.
The second grant is a track access grant which is paid direct to the rail operating company. The idea behind this grant is that it should make the cost of transporting materials by train the same as by road.
If the proposed site Is near a motorway or trunk road it is a statutory duty of the Highways Agency (contact 020 7821 4443) to provide road connections to It.
If the site is on a more minor road this could be the responsibility of the local authority and it could also be worth getting in touch with them because several authorities now have rail freight development officers,
Other useful numbers are:
• The Rail Freight Group: 020 7630 8613.
• English Welsh and Scottish Railway (EWS): 0201713 2481.
• Freightliner: 020 7214 9771.
• GB Railfreight: 01473 693907.
• Direct Rail Services: 01228 406600.