GBRf MD Smith urges Government to back UK rail freight

GOVERNMENT needs to understand rail freight and its value to the UK, says GB Railfreight Managing Director John Smith.

Speaking at a GBRf event on July 5, Smith said the Department for Transport has been told that investment is needed, and that work needs to be done, such as installing double track on the majority of the Felixstowe branch. He said money is allocated in the Strategic Freight Network to be spent in Control Period 5 (April 1 2014-March 31 2019).

Smith believes that the port of Felixstowe can handle 50 trains per day (currently there are 33), saying: “Rail carries 25% of the volume at Felixstowe. Another ten trains could take that to 35%.”

But he highlighted that there is a bigger jigsaw than just individual pieces such as Felixstowe. “If you use the Midland Main Line or cross-country you still encounter Leicester and the capacity there,” he said. “Sending a 550-metre train through a single-lead junction at Syston needs improving.

“Six miles of two tracks at Felixstowe gives you options. You could send 32 trains crosscountry and 16 via London. Maybe 24/26 cross-country initially. We are trying, but a more integrated structure is needed.”

Smith also warned against freight operating companies battling each other for work that they already operate: “We’ll blow each other’s brains if we fight. We need to demand to increase funding.

We need the capacity - the key corridors - and we need intelligent, reasonable investment.”

He also warned: “Money is not infinite, so we need to get bang for our buck. Looking at it, you would not have done Nuneaton Chord first. You just wouldn’t. It is needed… but later, in the grand scheme.”

Smith said Network Rail must look at better deals to support what he calls ‘our stations’, such as Felixstowe, which he believes deserve the same attention as major passenger termini.