Key Government coal meeting secured
The Heritage Railway Association has secured a vital meeting with a minister from the Department of Digital, Culture, Media and Sport in its ongoing campaign to secure the long-term supply of steam coal.
REPRESENTATIVES from the Heritage Railway Association (HRA), including president, Lord Faulkner, and chief executive, Steve Oates, were due to meet with the minister responsible for museums at the Department for Culture, Media & Sport, Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay, in late June. The meeting is the direct result of a debate in the House of Lords initiated by Lord Faulkner on May 18.
Lord Faulkner asked what steps the Government is taking to support the heritage steam sector in the light of current interruption to coal supplies. Heritage railways generate more than £600m for the UK economy each year and are critical to the tourism economy of many areas.
The UK is the world leader in heritage rail with more than 170 heritage railways. The sector attracts over 13m visitors a year, directly employs 4000 people and is supported by a staggering 22,000 volunteers.
Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State, Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Lord Parkinson, replied that the Government “… appreciates the unique importance of the heritage steam industry both in promoting the UK’s rich industrial heritage and for the wider visitor economy. We acknowledge the difficult circumstances facing the sector in light of the rising cost of coal on the international commodity markets and are in regular communication with the sector to explore how we may be able to assist.”
Understanding
The debate also heard how important obtaining the highest quality coal was to heritage steam and that the sector produces less than 0.02% of UK carbon emissions despite its large role in the visitor economy.
Steve Oates, HRA chief executive said: “There are positive signs that UK governments have a growing understanding of just how vital the future of steam traction is to the cultural heritage and tourism economy of the UK.
“We need governments to look sensibly at the controlled extraction of high-quality UK steam coal specifically for responsible, low-volume users like heritage rail as the most sustainable and environmentally conscious solution available right now.”
Progress in Westminster comes hot on the heels of positive signs in Wales after a series of meetings with key Senedd members and a shortterm reprieve for lump coal supplies from the Ffos-Y-Fran mine.
The HRA met with Eluned Morgan MS, minister for health and social services who has 12 heritage railways in her constituency, on May 27. The cabinet member committed to take forward heritage rail’s case to colleagues in the Welsh cabinet.
The HRA also met members of the Welsh parliament on
May 17, as it strengthened its case for a long-term, viable fuel for steam locomotives.
The meeting, organised by Senedd Member for Dwyfor Meirionnydd, Mabon ap
Gwynfor and the HRA, brought together key players from a number of Welsh steam railways.
The railways came armed with a raft of statistics and information which demonstrated just how important steam locomotives are to the cultural heritage and visitor economy of Wales. It is estimated that the 19 heritage railways in Wales generate £52m for the Welsh economy each year and attract more than 1.2m visitors. The lines also directly employ more than 500 people, supported by 3500 volunteers.
Senedd Members were also reminded of the vital role that heritage rail plays in Welsh UNESCO World Heritage Sites, particularly the Slate Landscape of Northwest Wales. The role of heritage railways in Welsh statute such as the Wellbeing of Future Generations Act and the sectors’ ability to meet key tourism priorities were highlighted too.
Supply
Meanwhile, Ffos-y-Fran has ended its suspension of supplying coal to the heritage steam sector. The reprieve provided to heritage railways up and down
Britain may only be shortlived however, as the mine is currently due to close completely during November.
Details of the resumption of supply were revealed after a meeting by the HRA with the mine, on-site during late May.
In the region of 5m tonnes of coal is still used every year in the UK by industries like steel and cement. That is in addition to a resurgent demand for power generation following a Government announcement on May 30, that coal fuelled power stations would be asked to extend their operations beyond autumn.