Press Release 2, 09 July 2003

Strategic rail authority responds to RIIG challenge to speed up transfer of freight from road to rail

Jeff Miles, Head of Freight Market Development at the SRA, announced at a railfreight conference in London yesterday that the SRA planned to engage with other Government planning and transport officials, to improve the planning process for developing major railfreight interchanges.

Mr Miles noted that industry was proposing to create at least 40 railfreight interchanges around the country, equivalent to £2.5 billion of investment into the rail network. He accepted that industry confidence had been shaken by the refusal last year of planning permission for a major railfreight interchange proposal, the London International Freight Exchange (LIFE) at Colnbrook in West London, adjacent to the M25, M4 motorways, the Great Western Main Line and Heathrow Airport. The SRA had reviewed the reasons for the refusal, and were now seeking to engage with colleagues from ODPM and DfT to review the planning framework for such developments.

Mr Miles said:

"The SRA's Executive Committee has authorised development and publication of a policy statement incorporating guidance for developers and the planning process on the need for rail freight interchanges. This will mitigate the effects of the LIFE decision and restore confidence to the market, ensure that SRA policies and strategies are given proper weight in the planning process, and provide a robust foundation for SRA engagement with the ODPM & DfT."

In response, Mike Hughes, Chairman of the Railfreight Interchange Investment Group (RIIG), stated in his conference address that:

"The SRA has today confirmed the scale of investment which the private sector is offering to make in the railfreight industry, which could trigger a massive shift of freight from road to rail. This would relieve the road network of millions of lorry journeys, at a time when Government is considering yet more road building and introduction of road tolls to cope with forecast demand."

Mr Hughes added:

"We confirm our willingness to invest in railfreight, to save industry from the costs of crippling road congestion, and to save the environment from the effects of road traffic growth. We welcome the SRA's announcement, but this commitment must now be converted into real support for railfreight interchanges on the ground - over £2 billion of investment in rail, the removal of millions of lorry trips from our crowded roads, and regeneration of the regions, now depends more than ever on Government honouring its commitments."

-ends-

Notes:

1. Further information and press contact via RIIG secretariat, telephone 01825 841103, fax 01825 841049
   Website: www.riig.org, email: info@riig.org

2. Railfreight Interchange Investment Group (RIIG) is being headed by five leading UK developers to promote greater investment in railfreight interchanges and a more consistent planning policy that recognises their importance to the economy.

3. The lead developers in RIIG are:

   • BAA Lynton (the property arm of the airports group BAA);

   • Burford Group;

   • Helios Properties;

   • Prologis Developments; and

   • Shell
     
     The group is supported by other companies in the property and freight industries including several major occupiers.
     

4. The aim of the group is two-fold:

   • To promote the investment, employment and environmental benefits of railfreight interchanges, delivering the success of such developments across mainland Europe

   • To seek a more constructive approach by Government planning policy towards railfreight interchanges, to maximise the benefits to UK plc

5. RIIG chairman Mike Hughes has recently addressed 'The 11th Annual Rail Freight conference' on 4 June at London's Marriott Hotel and spoke at 'Developing Rail Freight Terminals: Life after LIFE' conference on 8 July at Radisson SAS Portman Road in London.

6. The London International Freight Exchange (LIFE) proposal would have created a major railfreight interchange and freight village adjacent to major road, rail and airport links in West London. The 200-hectare landscaped development, served by up to 6 trains per day, could have saved up to 30 million lorry miles per annum. The project was refused planning permission. Stephen Joseph, Director of environmental transport campaign group Transport 2000, stated at the time that:
   
   "This rejection is bad news for rail freight and hypocritical from a Government that only last year approved Heathrow's fifth terminal right next door. If schemes like this are to be rejected, we will never see the renaissance of rail freight and reduced road congestion that the Government says it wants."

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