Rail line ready to roll out in 2009

It's been ten years in development but the new £8 million Telford rail freight line will be ready to roll out its first services in 2009.

The construction work on site is expected to be finalised by November, giving Telford a unique logistics base serving its business community.

The Telford International Railfreight Park was officially launched before more than 160 guests at a breakfast meeting at Enginuity in Ironbridge.

The audience of invited business representatives heard from the key partners involved including Sarah Raper, chief executive of Transforming Telford, Colin Flack, chief executive of the Rail Alliance and Councillor Eric Carter, Telford & Wrekin cabinet member for regeneration.

The operator, John G Russell Transport, also gave a presentation on the services it can offer from the park, with each freight train estimated to take around 50 lorries off the roads.

An extra £1 million of European funding has been announced to boost the project which will mean extra tracks and infrastructure as well as equipment to monitor and manage noise.

Welcoming guests, Councillor Carter said the new rail link showed Telford & Wrekin had "business at its heart" and was ready to meet the challenges of the future.

"In addition to improving Telford's infrastructure, each freight train is estimated to take around 50 lorries off the roads. The park will help support the council's aim of reducing the borough's carbon footprint.

"It will make the borough a more attractive place for business and will help boost job creation," he added.

Sarah Raper told the audience that Telford was in a prime position to move forward with the new rail link complementing work under way in the town with the development of Nom Dairy in Donnington and manufacturing company Weber on Halesfield.

"Developers such as Northern Trust and St Modwyn are providing us with prime quality commercial space and hi-tech development at the technology corridor. In the next two years, you will start to see the start of the new town centre development."

"We have done some maths and we think over the next 15 to 20 years, around £2 million of new investment and some 15,000 new jobs will be created in the borough.

"The link will help to raise the profile of new investment, demonstrate our green credentials as a sustainable place to do business and demonstrate how public and private sector can work together to attract investment into the borough."

Mr Flack gave guests the national overview about the uptake in rail nationally as a viable alternative to road transport.

"There is a perception that rail is a stodgy business, that's far from true. There are factors in play which make rail freight more competitive.

"It has attracted £1.5 billion from the private sector and it's going to double over the next ten years. All the major retailers have rail freight somewhere in the supply chain. Rail freight saves two million tonnes of pollutants, it's a lean, green, efficient machine, it's the mode of the future.

"As costs go up, railways become a much more competitive market. I believe there is a bright future with projects such as this."

"The message is that the rail freight terminal is here, we have a vibrant operator who wants to drive the business forward and partners who are focused on making this happen.

"The dream has become a reality because the belief was there and then there was the temerity to do something about it."

The operator is John G Russell Transport - one of the UK's largest privately run logistics companies with 40 years of experience working in partnerships with road, rail, sea and air logistics.

Ken Russell told guests Telford was the perfect location for the new terminal, with good links to rail and road, offering a 24 hour operation with good access to labour.

"Rail is proven to be reliable, with consistent arrival and departure times, with excellent load security and protection from road congestion. We are committed to offering a complete range of services. We have an extensive network, with links to UK ports."

The company already works with household names including Tesco, Sainsbury's, Marks & Spencer as well as Maersk Sealand and Hapag-Lloyd.

He said: "We are looking to partner with local organisations. We are already working with TS International in Telford but we are keen to work with local hauliers and local logistics companies because rail will play an important part in the supply chain."

Companies will have the chance to put containers or bulk loads on the rail line through the terminal itself but there are also development opportunities on the site for warehousing and development across around 25 acres.