In response to the government’s recently published target for the growth in freight moved by rail, Railfuture has given lukewarm approval to the proposals,
The freight director of Railfuture, Owen O’Neill, commented: “This is nothing to celebrate. A target of 75% growth over 26 years is only 2.2% per year. Over the last 40 years, even with the recent turmoil, GDP growth has averaged 2.0% per year.
“The amount of freight moved is closely linked to the economy, so the ‘growth’ target is effectively a no-modal-share growth target. This is the minimum cost option with no policy initiatives to drive achieving the target.
“The freight sector seems to be falling over itself in fawning admiration at the mere mention of ‘freight’ and ‘growth’ in the same story. We note it, that’s all.
“Even diesel-hauled rail freight emits 75% less CO2 than moving the same goods by road, we need to have far more challenging modal share growth targets for rail if we are to stand any chance of reaching net zero.
“The government claims to be supporting drivers – but even drivers can see the clear benefits of there being fewer slow-moving, pothole-magnifying HGVs on the roads, but if there is no increase in rail’s modal share we will see more HGVs on our roads. HGVs are also disproportionately involved in accidents resulting in people being killed and seriously injured – particularly pedestrians and other vulnerable road users, so everyone wins from fewer HGVs.
“At the same time as announcing this lacklustre target, the government has kicked the legs out from under the ability to deliver it by cancelling the easy-to-construct and high-value section of phase 2a from Lichfield to Crewe.
“The main corridor for moving passengers from London to Crewe is also the main corridor for freight. The current ‘plan’ to dump HS2 trains onto the existing network will add more traffic to an existing set of bottlenecks, with a strong risk that freight will get squeezed out around the edges. This will result in even less freight capacity than today on our critical route for moving intermodal traffic, let alone having capacity for even this lacklustre growth target.”
Responses
This government are not only a disgrace, they are a laughing stock.
I note that for all the cost of Crossrail it was never anything but completed.
Of course, in return for ” lending their votes” HS2 should have been started simultaneously in Crewe and Manchester, working its way south. That would have ensured completion!
There is far too much made of the cost of building HS2 and no mention made of the cost of not building it!
When we have a new government that will refresh out trading arrangements with our nearest and dearest neighbours in Europe and invest properly in a rail network infrastructure to support our future net zero ambitions and boost our industries, the better!
Oh dear train lovers upset again. Trucks deliver trains don’t.
Get a life and face facts 93 %of goods are delivered by road. Train drivers are grossly overpaid and on strike at the drop of a hat .
Te amount of disruption caused is unacceptable.
The only effective rail system is in Europe. How many strikes will there be to get the Rail network working properly.
Unions in this country are the ruination of industry.
It’s time now to increase the truck weight limit and not rely on Thomas the useless tank engine.
More trucks now and bigger weight limits
Go to bed Thomas and take an easy rest
More and heavier trucks? Have you seen the state of the roads recently? They’re knackered, thanks to HGVs. Oh yes and isn’t there supposed to be a shortage of truck drivers too? Let’s have a lot more freight on rail, please.
I don’t think you have noticed. But freight train drivers haven’t been on strike at all. Lorries are destroying our roads. As a freight train driver I think the country needs to get behind freight on trains and off the roads. With a better link up if trains doing the long distance hauling. And Lorries doing the pickup from the customer and maybe deliver to the company.
Another short sighted move by the government who destroyed the railway in the 60s with the corrupt beeching marples brigade. Trouble is labour are no better
Thank goodness Railfuture can see through the hype. Lots of false dawns and figures seems to be the way of things with rail freight. A reliance on HS2 to deliver capacity benefits was a mistake; there are other pinch points across the country crying out to be addressed, though clearly common sense should dictate that HS2 goes to Crewe, otherwise it’s practically pointless.