£17.5 million rail terminal upgrade planned for Southampton docks

The port of Southampton is to get an upgraded rail terminal.

Port owner ABP and handler Solent Stevedores will increase the size and capability of the terminal used by GB Railfreight trains in the western docks.

The rail loading pad will be extended by 150 metres to take longer trains, while a revised track layout will enable trains to arrive and depart on any of the three lines.

The port says that increasing the capacity for cargo to enter and leave the port by rail will support its long-term strategy for improving local air quality. Southampton has previously been highlighted as one of the worst cities in the UK for air quality, with port activity identified as one of the causes.

The £17.5 million project, which will be completed in late 2023, will create an 18-acre site. It will handle full and empty containers, along with storage, maintenance and repair within a single boundary - a first for the port.

“This is a significant project for us, and the latest phase of investment for the Solent Rail Terminal,” said Solent Stevedores Executive Chairman Steve Cullen.

“We continue to upgrade and enhance our rail operations and infrastructure in partnership with the port.”

Alastair Welch, port director for ABP, said: “It is part of the Port of Southampton’s multimodal strategy and our commitment to help improve air quality in the local area.”

Southampton is the UK’s second busiest container port, behind Felixstowe. It handles £40 billion of UK exports each year and is the leading facility for imports from the Far East. It claims to support 46,000 jobs nationally.