Rail freight saves AUD1.9bn a year in Britain

[ozbob]

Transport Logistic News --> Rail freight saves AUD1.9bn a year in Britain

In a sign surely to cause people to question Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott's openly anti-rail stance, a report published by the Rail Delivery Group "Keeping the lights on and the traffic moving" reveals that British businesses are saving £1 billion a year – or £2.7 million a day – by using rail to transport goods.

The report highlights that a further £500 million a year of economic, environmental and social benefits come from rail freight reducing the number of trucks on roads. Last year, more than 7.6 million road journeys were saved by transporting goods by rail, the equivalent of around 7,000 trucks driving from London to Edinburgh every day. The report is based on analysis carried out by accountants KPMG.

According to the report, since freight was opened up to private competition and investment in the mid-nineties, billions of pounds have been invested in the sector, including on more efficient, longer trains that can carry an average of 50% more cargo than 10 years ago. Transporting freight by rail reduces CO2 emissions by 76% compared to road.

Investment has helped rail freight in Britain grow by 70% in the past 20 years and increase its share of the market for transporting goods, in contrast to some still largely European state-run railways.

Rail freight also helps ensure British manufacturing can compete globally by sending products on the first leg of their global journey, connecting factories with container ports.

Peter Maybury, chairman of Freightliner and the RDG freight group, said: "Rail freight has been transformed over the past two decades and is set to keep growing. By continuing to drive efficiency and improve performance, operators could help more than double the size of the sector over the next three decades and increase the economic benefits of rail freight to over £4 billion a year."

In contrast, Tony Abbott is unashamedly anti-rail, even to the point where he has committed hundreds of millions of dollars to roads to be built to and around the newly-announced Badgery's Creek Airport, with not a cent committed to a railway link.

[ozbob]

http://www.raildeliverygroup.com/what-we-do/our-reports-presentation-speeches/

Keeping the lights on & the traffic moving – report on the value of rail freight

--> http://www.raildeliverygroup.com/wp-content/uploads/file/Keeping%20the%20lights%20on%20and%20the%20traffic%20moving.pdf

[Stillwater]

QUOTE:
'......billions of pounds have been invested in the sector, including on more efficient, longer trains that can carry an average of 50% more cargo than 10 years ago. Transporting freight by rail reduces CO2 emissions by 76% compared to road.'

All the investigations have been done into economic benefits and the CO2 emission savings estimated for a relatively modest upgrade of the NCL.  Let's hope the ARTC investigation will dig up the facts and prove the worth of investment in realignments and longer passing loops at allow for trains that are 1.5km long.

Of course, SCL duplication is vital also.  State not interested.