137 September 2019 NEWS www.rfg.org.uk Helping ensure a sustainable future for UK rail freight PD Ports named RFG’s Business of the Year RFG Awards Dinner celebrates the success P.3 and innovation across the rail freight sector. GBRf launches third Southampton intermodal service P.10 RFG and RFM joint event brings businesses together PD Ports has won the Business of the A joint entry by Tarmac and RFS Works Ltd Year Award at the Rail Freight Group’s won the Innovation and Technical Devel- annual excellence awards dinner, with opment Award for a redesign of an urban the judges praising its outstanding depot including an innovative ‘Supergrab’ commitment to its customers and to the that significantly increased capacity and wider local community in the North East. efficiency, while Peel Ports in Liverpool triumphed in the Community & Environ- Network Rail won the Project of the Year mental Responsibility category with the P.16 category for its enhancement work on the rejuvenation of rail services and a huge Mendip Rail supports Felixstowe to Nuneaton route, increasing investment in training and in generating ‘Joining the Dots’ capacity from 33 to up to 47 freight trains new jobs in the local community. a day. Continued on page 2 & Gallery (with judge’s comments) on pages 5-9. RFG report looks at according to our new report. The study, undertaken by Stephen Joseph future growth and Associates highlights how a new approach economic potential from national and local Governments, along with continued investment from the indus- of rail freight sector try, could unlock growth significantly in ex- P.21 cess of current projections. Mossend: exciting progress on this new An ambitious growth strategy for rail The report, which has been based on a rail freight facility freight could generate between £75bn - review of existing literature, highlights the £90bn in environmental and economic key areas necessary to unlock growth benefits over the coming decade, which include: Continued on page 3. RFG News Sep 2019 Director General’s Update: Maggie Simpson email your comments to [email protected] carbon reduction and the need to invest for modal shift for Promoting rail freight. We were pleased to hear the commitment to elec- trification under a Labour Government and their support freight growth for HS2 delivery. through Party Investing in rail freight, both by Government and the private sector, delivers significant benefits for the UK econ- Conference omy and environment. We have recently published a new report which shows the value of these benefits could be season £75bn-£90bn each year if supported by a programme of By Maggie Simpson, Director General, investment in the network, and measures to support modal Rail Freight Group (RFG) shift. The work, which was undertaken by Stephen Joseph Associates, highlights the key areas for invest- ment and the benefits that arise through decarbonisation, In these unprecedented political times, it can be hard road congestion and economic gains for users. These to focus on the day-to-day politics of the railways. critical areas highlighted are: So RFG was pleased to have the opportunity to meet with the new Rail Minister, Chris Heaton-Harris MP, for an introductory discussion on rail freight. Chris is • Accelerated investment in the Strategic Freight Net- no stranger to our sector, having the major strategic work to unlock capacity and improve train efficiencies; rail freight interchange at DIRFT in his constituency, so it was good to be able to brief him on the contin- • Electrification of core routes to further improve rail ued investment, expansion and growth as well as on freight’s environmental benefits; some of challenges, including the Williams Review, capacity for new trains and decarbonisation. • Promotion of new rail linked facilities and reform of planning law to support a greater uptake of rail; The Labour Party Conference was dominated by the debate over Brexit and interrupted by the Supreme • Investment and support for new rail freight services Court decision on the prorogation of Parliament, but in including high speed freight to city centres; between we were delighted that Shadow Secretary of State for Transport Andy McDonald MP [pictured below right] • Increased grants and access charge discounts to was able to find the time to attend our rail freight break- encourage uptake; fast meeting to discuss Labour’s plans for UK railways, • Mainstreaming rail freight in transport and industrial policy; • Future changes to road pricing to support modal shift. This report, along with our recent meetings with politicians, highlights just how important rail freight remains, and there could be no clearer indication of its success than our Annual Awards Dinner that was held in mid Septem- ber. It was a lovely evening and many congratulations to all our winners and in particular to PD Ports, a well deserved winner of our Business of the Year. You can read all about our winners on pages 5-9 along with all the latest news and our Guest articles and columns. And do get in touch if you want any more infor- mation on any rail freight matter, or RFG membership. • Continued from page 1. The awards were presented by the The Group welcomed Neil Robertson, awards’ sponsors and presenters on CEO, NSAR, who gave the after din- An ‘astounding’ increase in turna- the night John Smith, MD of GB Rail- ner speech, and money was raised round times at a quarry was achieved freight (GBRf), and Simon Coppen of for the Railway Benefit Fund (RBF). by separating the shunting and the Burges Salmon at a dinner held on mainline services and earned a joint 12 September at the De Vere Latimer Thanks to all our members who took entry by Victa Railfreight and Cemex Estate Hotel, Chesham. time to enter. Judges said it was great UK the Customer Care Awards. to see entries where statistics were Maggie Simpson, RFG Director Gen- used to back-up the claims of There were also two individuals rec- eral said: “We continue to be amazed improvement and where customer ognised at the awards - Alan Handley by the excellent and innovative work testimonials showed real support of DB Cargo for Outstanding Individ- done by the members of the Rail for the entry. The entries also ual Contribution and Craig Bickley Freight Group and are pleased to highlighted the importance of of Maritime Transport was named as be able to recognise some of them collaboration within the industry and Young Railfreight Professional. through these awards.” with customers. • 2 RFG News Sep 2019 News in brief • GBRf announced on 23 September that EQT’s infrastructure portfolio co mpany, Hector Rail Group, has sold the business to Infracapital – the unlisted infrastructure equity arm of M&GPrudential. Over the past three years un- der EQT’s tenure, GB Railfreight has grown con- siderably, expanding into new markets. Together EQT and GB Railfreight have seen the business become the third larg- est rail freight operator in the UK, with over 900 employees and a turno- ver in excess of £200m a year. GB Railfreight now operates over 1,000 train- loads a week, moving ap- proximately 23% of UK’s rail cargo. GBRf launches industry-wide. John Smith, MD of GB Railfreight, said: “I am • Midlands Connect has third Southampton thrilled to see the beginning of this new service. submitted evidence to the Our growth in intermodal shows GBRf’s dedica- Oakervee HS2 Review, intermodal service tion to innovation, offering flexible door-to-door highlighting the benefits of solutions that meet our customer’s needs, as extra capacity that the pro- GB Railfreight (GBRf) has begun a new well as a consistently reliable service.” ject would provide. While it focuses on passenger ser- intermodal service from Solent Stevedores, Southampton, to Trafford Park, Manchester, Stuart Cullen, CEO of Solent Stevedores, said: vices, it also illustrates the its third daily service from the port. “We are delighted that GB Railfreight has start- estimated 144 additional ed a new service from Solent Stevedores to freight trains that would The new service will run five days a week, and Manchester. We have a strong working rela- become available. The full represents its 17th intermodal service to date, tionship and are thrilled that our partnership is response is here. RFG’s following unprecedented growth in the mar- flourishing through their new intermodal servic- response on page 11. ket over the last two years. Intermodal traffic es from our terminal”. • now accounts for around 36% of all rail freight • Genesee & Wyoming’s UK/Europe Region com- panies, including Freight- liner and Pentalver, have Continued from front page. and industrial policy; unveiled a new, innovative website structured around • Accelerated investment in the Strategic • Future changes to road pricing to support their three business plat- Freight Network to unlock capacity and modal shift. forms of Rail, Road and improve train efficiencies; Terminals. Such measures will unlock greater benefits • Electrification of core routes to further for the economy and environment arising • RFG’s Director Gener- improve rail freight’s environmental bene- from reduced congestion, improved road al Maggie Simpson was fits; safety and road damage, and improved ef- recently interviewed by ficiency for customers. RAIL magazine, discuss- • Promotion of new rail linked facilities and ing the UK’s readiness for reform of planning law to support a greater RFG Director General, Maggie Simpson, a no-deal Brexit. Read her uptake of rail; said: “With renewed focus on the environ- comments here. ment, and with new trade opportunities on • Investment and support for new rail the horizon there has never been a better • Network Rail has restart- freight services including high speed time to invest in rail freight.