Moves to price freight to rail
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by Karen Miles • Hauliers may be offered more money to entice trucks off main roads after a senior DOT official admitted that some environmental grants are too low.
Linder fire from potential rail freight users at the London Railfrieght Conference '95, Bob Linnard, head of RaiWeight privatisation at the DOT, said the level of grants available to transport firms willing to use rail rather than roads was constantly under review. "We're aware that the motorway and dual carriageway rate is disproportionately low," he said.
Companies can earn a 5p/mile Government sub sidy for shifting traffic from both types of roads.
At the conference, Transport Development Groups business development manager Andrew Hartley called for the grants to rise to 25p per mile: "At this rate a
London to Scotland bimodal service is worthwhile," he said.
If the Government decides to increase the grant, industry observers expect the change to come within the next couple of months.