Railtrack plc

Rail freight market grows after years of decline
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date 2 October 1997
source Railtrack plc
type Press release

Rail freight traffic, excluding coal, increased by four per cent in the first half of the current financial year, Railtrack announced today in Brighton.

After years of decline, the rail freight market is at last growing again, Railtrack’s Head of Freight Robin Gisby told a fringe meeting at the Labour Party Conference. The meeting, attended by Minister for Transport in London Glenda Jackson, heard that the fastest expanding sector was intermodal and international traffic which increased by 14 per cent compared to the same period last year.

In the last few months freight businesses have also seen:

o coordination by Railtrack of over 100 developments of freight depots with new locations opening and old facilities reopening at the rate of more than 20 per year;

o commitment by freight operator English, Welsh and Scottish Railway (EWS) of over £500 million in investment programmes;

o milk traffic returning to the network after over 20 years, major supermarket groups running trial services and road hauliers looking to put traffic on the railway;

o the port of Felixstowe sending record volumes of containers by rail and 100 per cent on time delivery for rail operator Freightliner.

Robin Gisby said: "This has been a very encouraging six months for rail freight and the future prospects are even more exciting. Rail can now deliver faster, more reliable services cheaper than road. Our customers are committed to growth and Railtrack is committed to supporting them."

At the meeting, organised by the Railfreight Group, Railtrack also formally launched its new freight Code of Practice which sets out key commitments to invest in the network to meet its customers’ needs and aspirations, reduce costs and improve reliability.

Railhub Archive ::: 1997-10-02 RTK-001