HS2 must deliver its promises on rail freight
Rail Freight Group (RFG) today (11 February 2020) strongly welcomed the Government announcement that HS2 is to be delivered in full, with work on Phases 1 and 2A given the green light to commence immediately and Phase 2B to be developed towards implementation.
HS2 has the potential to deliver significant benefits for rail freight by releasing capacity for new services on the existing network. With each freight train producing 76% less CO2 than the equivalent road journey, HS2 can also help decarbonise freight transport by allowing new services to operate, taking more HGVs off the congested road network. However, to date, the Government has not confirmed how much capacity will be made available for freight once the new line is open.
Maggie Simpson RFG Director-General said: “The decision to proceed with HS2 is great news for the freight sector, and for the UK economy. Our members welcome the decision and are keen to see rapid progress in constructing this new railway.
“Now that the uncertainty is over, Government and HS2 must act to confirm and safeguard released capacity for freight use and to resolve bottlenecks elsewhere on the network where HS2 trains will operate. This is essential to allow freight operators and customers to develop their future plans, and to ensure that the benefits of HS2 can now be delivered in practice.”
RFG position paper on HS2 and the West Coast Main Line is here https://rfg.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/03/WCML3.pdf
RFG Submission to the Oakervee Review is here https://rfg.org.uk/rfg-position-paper-hs2/
