Archived press release

'Piggyback' Railfreight could help remove need for Newbury Bypass

8 February 1996

New information obtained by Transport 2000 and Friends of the Earth has revealed that Railtrack is actively investigating plans to let lorries ride"piggyback" on trains from the Midlands to Southampton [1].

These plans, if implemented, could substantially cut long-distance heavy lorry traffic through Newbury, and help remove the "need" for its controversial bypass [2].

Studies of similar schemes on other lines suggest that the scheme could be up and running within the timescale of the bypass and at less than half the cost [3].

The scheme would also have significant environmental benefits and save taxpayers huge sums in road maintenance [4].

Simon Festing, Transport campaigner at Friends of the Earth said:

"Getting heavy lorries to "piggyback" on trains is one part of a package of measures that could solve Newbury's traffic problems without destroying the countryside around it."

Lord Berkeley, Chairman of the Piggyback Consortium [5] said:

"Three-quarters of the lorries crossing the English Channel are capable of being transferred to "piggyback" services. The more we look, the more benefits we find from investment in these services."

Stephen Joseph, Executive Director of Transport 2000 said:

"The promoters of the bypass have systematically downplayed the potential of railfreight for the lorry traffic through Newbury. This news shows there is a realistic alternative to the bypass for lorries."

ENDS

NOTES TO EDITORS:

[1] Railtrack are participating in a study on behalf of a private freight company which is seeking to develop plans for upgrading the Southampton to Midlands line. The route goes via Birmingham, Oxford, Reading, Basingstoke and Southampton. Piggyback' wagons are to be deployed, which allow ordinary lorry trailers to travel long distances on the railway. This system combines the flexibility of short-distance road travel, with the favourable economics and environmental benefits of long-distance rail travel.

Piggyback services are common in Europe, but require changes to the height of bridges and tunnels in the UK. They also require special trailers, which are being developed with European Union funding. Work on the Channel Tunnel to Glasgow' line is already well established, and could be taking 400,000 lorry journeys off the roads by 1997.

[2] Highways Agency figures suggest that over 45% of the heavy lorry trips through Newbury have an origin or destination outside Newbury and its neighbouring area. A "piggyback" service could enable many of these trips to be made by rail instead of through the town. Neither the public inquiry in 1988, nor the Highways Agency review of the bypass in 1995 considered the possibility of investment in rail freight.

[3] The "Summary Report" of the Piggyback Consortium's study into the feasibility of introducing "piggyback" services between Glasgow and the Channel Tunnel found that providing the necessary headroom along route could be achieved for as little as 70 million. It is understood that upgrading the line from the Midlands to Southampton would cost around 50 million.

[4] Getting lorries onto the railways wouldn't only benefit Newbury. It would also have environmental benefits all along the A34. Furthermore, lorries alone are responsible for approximately 9% of UK carbon monoxide emissions, 14% of UK emissions of nitrogen oxides, 6% of volatile organic compounds and 38% of UK emissions of black smoke. Converting lorry traffic into rail traffic would reduce these emissions.

Department of Transport research suggests that one heavy lorry can do as much damage to a road as 100,000 cars. Reducing the number of heavy lorries on our roads is one of the most effective ways of improving road maintenance.

[5] The Piggyback Consortium is a broad-based group including freight users, railfreight operators, Railtrack and Transport 2000.

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust