31.10.14
Eurotunnel outlines five obstacles to new cross-Channel freight services
Eurotunnel has called on the government to work with its European counterparts to tackle five obstacles it says are significant barriers to companies seeking to launch new rail freight services through the Channel Tunnel.
Throughout Europe there are different regulations relating to train dimensions, with lengths in Spain being limited to 400m, in Italy it is 500m and Germany 600m, compared to 750m in the UK and France. Eurotunnel says this limits transport capacity with 25% less capacity between Italy and the UK.
In addition Britain’s generalised use of ‘long’ (13.6m) containers are less adaptable to multi-freight wagons that operate across continental Europe.
There are also loading gauge differences between the UK network and Europe. In Britain the gauge is narrower and requires lower wagons than the rest of Europe, which are more expensive and reduce capacity. Eurotunnel figures show this increases transport costs by £235 per train and reduces revenues by 20%.
Eurotunnel has also identified the lack of electrification on rail lines from the Channel Tunnel across Kent and the absence of a rail freight corridor linking Manchester and Birmingham as barriers to further rail freight services.
The Channel Tunnel operator laid out the obstacles to an audience of rail specialists in Lille earlier this month. Despite these issues there has been double-digit growth in cross-Channel rail freight in the third quarter of 2014.
(Image: Euro Tunnel c. Chris Ison/PA Wire)
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