Press Release 3, 24 March 2004
RIIG welcomes SRA interchnage policy as first step in right direction
The Railfreight Interchange Investment Group (RIIG) today welcomed the launch of the Strategic Rail Authority’s policy on rail freight interchanges.
Michael Hughes, Chairman of RIIG, said: “Five years ago, Government policy explained why railfreight interchanges were important for both the economy and the environment – we have been waiting ever since for Government to explain how these interchange developments are to be encouraged and secured”.
In the interim, major interchange proposals, such as LIFE West London , have either been rejected or delayed by the planning process, despite support from the Regions, transport users, operators and developers.
The planning system has failed to support the sustainable transport objectives enshrined in policy documents such as the New Deal for Railways, Sustainable Distribution and the SRA’s own Freight Strategy. This mismatch between planning and transport policies is bad for business confidence and could stand in the way of real growth in railfreight traffic.
If freight is to switch from road to rail, there is general agreement that more interchanges are needed – to fully realise the benefits for the Regions, for business and the environment, over £2 billion of private sector funds are waiting to be invested in creating the necessary interchange facilities. The key to unlocking this massive private sector investment is coherent policy making, co-ordinated across a range of government departments, to set out the conditions under which railfreight interchanges can be developed.
Against this background, the SRA’s policy document on railfreight interchanges is a very welcome first step – the industry is now waiting to hear from Government as to how this policy can be given some teeth."
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