Rail freight

GBRf calls for biomass access charge to be scrapped

14.05.13: A proposed biomass access charge for rail freight must be dropped, GB Railfreight (GBRf) has urged. The Commons Select Committee for Energy and Climate Change has proposed a charge to be introduced from April 2014, which could add between &...

ORR recommends higher freight charges

14.01.13: A new package of charges for freight operators has been proposed by the ORR, to be introduced from 2016. It follows a consultation into how the costs can best be balanced through the industry, but freight providers and campaigners say the p...

Go-ahead secured for Radlett freight terminal

02.01.13: A rail freight terminal at Radlett in Hertfordshire has been granted planning permission by communities’ secretary Eric Pickles. The move could enable a much higher proportion of freight use on the network. The £400m intermodal...

RFG calls for upgrades to Scottish freight

13.12.12: Strategic upgrades are needed to Scotland’s rail freight network, the Rail Freight Group (RFG) has argued in its submission to the Scottish Government. The submission to the Scottish Government’s National Planning Framework 3 (N...

New Shortliner service increases capcity

21.11.12: Freightliner has run the first Shortliner service, increasing its 40ft capacity by 42%. Earlier this year, Freightliner placed an order with VTG for a fleet of twin platform wagons, to meet the demand of the evolving deep sea container mark...

Freight dive-under win for Bam Nuttall

19.11.12: Bam Nuttall has been awarded a £20m contract to deliver a dive-under at the Acton freight yard in West London. Network Rail awarded the contract to avoid disruption to passenger services, and work is expected to begin next May. F...

Nuneaton North Chord opened

15.11.12: A new freight line has been officially opened, linking the Nuneaton – Felixstowe route to the West Coast Main Line. The Nuneaton North Chord was launched by transport minister Simon Burns yesterday, after the first train ran from Harp...

Freight property interests could be transferred to Network Rail

30.10.12: A consultation has been launched proposing the transfer of DB Schenker Rail UK’s 250 property interests across the network to Network Rail. The move could promote capacity and enable improved time-keeping, and make the railway more at...

Network Rail meets freight performance order

04.10.12: The ORR has confirmed that Network Rail has met the terms of the freight performance order it issued earlier this year. This involved the introduction of a freight recovery board and a detailed recovery plan with milestones across a broad r...

Freight can use HS2 capacity to reduce carbon emissions

21.09.12: Significant carbon benefits can be achieved by allowing the capacity released by HS2 on the existing network to be used by rail freight, a new report suggests. Greengauge 21 was commissioned by the Campaign for Rural England, the RSPB and t...

Freight trains, freight gains, from High Speed 2

01.09.12: Transport consultant David Thrower, who has contributed to the Transport Select Committee inquiry into high-speed rail and the recent All-Party Parliamentary Group for High-Speed Rail report, discusses the issues surrounding rail freight and HS2...

Aslef strikes out at ORR freight charge proposals

10.08.12: Increased charges for rail freight would be “grossly unjust”, the train drivers union Aslef has stated. The ORR is consulting on proposed changes to rail freight. The ORR states that the new charge would ensure that freight cove...

UK freight receives £11m funding for capacity

14.07.12: The European Commission has announced £11m funding towards three projects to improve freight in the UK. The successful bid means the TEN-T agency will award £4m towards electrification in the North West, £4m to increase ca...

Welsh freight recommendations to increase connectivity

06.07.12: The National Assembly for Wales’ Enterpriseand Business Committee has published an inquiry into international connectivity through Welsh ports and airports which calls for a greater emphasis on rail freight. The Rail Freight Group wel...

First Railway Package Recast agreement reached

21.06.12: An agreement has been reached on the First Railway Package Recast, which will ensure better access, regulation and cooperation for the industry, the Rail Freight Group suggests. EU member states, the European Parliament and the Commission h...