The Government, which recognises the importance of rail freight in its transport strategy, has asked the Strategic Rail Authority to look at the technical and operational feasibility of the project. Central Railway has worked closely with the SRA's consultants and is now preparing to facilitate a government-sponsored Bill later this year.
The timetable is as follows:- May/June 2001 - Further development and consultation with RDAs, Local Authorities and the SRA
- June 2001 - Government decision in principle for Central Railway taken
- July/October 2001 - Remaining work completed and Bill prepared
- November 2001 - Bill introduced to Parliament
- 2002 - Hearings and further consultation on project details
- 2003 - Act of Parliament authorises Central Railway to begin work
- End 2003 - Construction begins
- 2008 - Launch
The company is currently consulting with Regional Development Agencies, who have already indicated their broad support for Central Railway. The scheme will bring jobs and redevelopment to areas along the proposed route in the North West, Yorkshire and the Midlands. And, as a strategic addition to the rail network as a whole, Central Railway will bring improvements to north-south passenger services.
The company has already shown the scheme to be strategically desirable - it is in line with Government policy on freight transport and reducing environmental pollution and was listed in the SRA's recent strategy document as a possible strategic addition to the network.
In a letter to supportive Members of Parliament, Chairman Andrew Gritten said:"With Government support, we are ready for a Bill to be prepared and introduced to Parliament before the end of the year."
Andrew Gritten added:"Central Railway will transform our transport system - roads and rail - at no cost to the taxpayer. We are looking forward to working with the Government after the election so we can start to move from plans to action. This is, as the commentator Christian Wolmar said 'one big idea whose time has come'."
The company's proposals have been formulated in association with leading international engineering and environmental consultants and, crucially, have won the support of the road freight industry itself.
Notes for Editors:- Central Railway is an Anglo-French company proposing to design, build and operate a new lorries-on-trains rail link connecting the North West to northern France.
- The line will run from Liverpool, via Manchester, Sheffield, the Midlands and London, through the Channel Tunnel to the Lille area in Northern France. Most of the route will be existing or disused railways. A small part of the route will be new railway running alongside the M25 in Surrey to bypass overloaded existing lines.
- The railway will create a unique link into Europe as the only British railway able to carry lorries, and standard European freight trains (as well as any UK passenger or freight train). The project cost is estimated at approximately £5.5 billion and Central Railway is projected to produce a commercial rate of return enabling it to be built with private money.