25.05.17
Freight leaders call for immediate infrastructure investment after election
A key organisation representing rail freight in the UK has today urged the main political parties to back up manifesto promises for freight with immediate investment in infrastructure.
In a statement, the Freight Transport Association (FTA) said that though commitments to freight infrastructure that have been voiced by politicians were welcomed, funding should be put into the sector “in a timely manner” to maintain future success.
This comes after the organisation published its own manifesto outlining a number of key points to improve the state of the freight industry.
These include creating free access for the UK freight and logistics industry to the EU market after Brexit, reduction of infrastructure costs associated with rail transport and extra investment in public infrastructure.
It also follows a similar call from the Rail Freight Group, which argued that freight needed to be put at the heart of post-Brexit trade links.
“Poor infrastructure wastes time and money, holds back UK competitiveness and results in more emissions,” said Christopher Snelling, the FTA’s head of national policy. “If we are to make the most use we can of rail freight, we need massive continued investment in improving our networks.
“This is consistently identified by our members as the most important thing the next government can deliver to make the UK’s logistics industry – and business as a whole – more efficient.”
Snelling also asserted that whichever party was ultimately successful on the 8 June, it was imperative that they did not shy away from their promise of investment in infrastructure.
“This will ensure the continued success of the logistics industry in keeping Britain functioning every day,” he continued.
“Logistics affects every part of our daily lives, and without ensuring that significant levels of investment continue, UK business will be held back and costs in the shops will be higher.”
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