Draft Freight Strategy Consultation

10.0 Non-road freight

10.1 Rail

The government's Rail Freight Strategy recognises the potential to reduce emissions by switching road freight movements to rail. Rail freight is on average 76% more greenhouse gas efficient per freight tonne km than road freight.

There are three principal rail routes in Central Bedfordshire which are critical to national rail freight operations and result in a large volume of rail freight moving through the area:

• The West Coast Main Line runs from London Euston through to the West Midlands (including Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal), North Wales, and Scotland. A short section of the route passes through Central Bedfordshire at Leighton Buzzard.
• The Midland Main Line links London St Pancras with Luton, Bedford, Derby, Nottingham, and Sheffield. It passes through the centre of Central Bedfordshire at Harlington and Flitwick.
• The East Coast Main Line links London Kings Cross with Peterborough, the north-east and Scotland. It passes through Central Bedfordshire at Arlesey, Biggleswade and Sandy.
• In addition, the Marston Vale line, a local service, runs between Bedford and Bletchley. The route serves the Central Bedfordshire villages of Aspley Guise, Ridgmont, Lidlington, and Millbrook, and the villages of Woburn Sands and Stewartby that are on the boundaries with neighbouring authorities.

10.1.1 Rail Freight Interchanges

The National Policy Statement for National Networks looks to create a network of Strategic Rail Freight Interchanges (SRFIs) across the country. There is an existing rail freight interchange facility near to Central Bedfordshire which see goods transferred from rail to road:

• The nearest major rail freight interchange is Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal (DIRFT) which is located around 50 miles away in Northamptonshire, adjacent to junction 18 of the M1, connected via a loop to the West Coast Main Line. DIRFT is a regional node for freight traveling between the port of Felixstowe and the Channel Tunnel.

There are also smaller rail freight interchanges in or near to Central Bedfordshire that are used for specific purposes:

• The Plasmor Brick Terminal at Biggleswade is used to move construction material around the country, for onward distribution via the road network in the southeast of England.
• Forder's Sidings at Stewartby, is used to transport landfill waste and materials for Network Rail.
• Bedford Sidings at Elstow, is used to transport crushed rock, used for asphalt production.
• Crescent Road Sidings in Luton is used to transport crushed rock.
• Limbury Lane Sidings in Luton is used to transport marine aggregate.

10.1.2 Interchange proposals and route upgrades

There are schemes that are currently being promoted that will provide further upgrades to the railway infrastructure in Central Bedfordshire:

• The Marston Vale line (between Bletchley and Bedford) is due to be upgraded as part of East West Rail. Whilst primarily a passenger service, the potential for East West Rail to accommodate additional rail freight movements is being explored by the East West Rail Company.
• The Sundon Rail Freight Interchange allocation is strategically located to the north of Luton in proximity to Sundon Quarry, the Midland Mainline Railway and the M1, as outlined in the Local Plan Policy SE1.

10.2 Water

The UK imports and exports 95% of goods by weight through maritime ports, however Central Bedfordshire is some distance from the coast and doesn't have any maritime ports nearby. The navigable inland waterways in Central Bedfordshire consist of the Grand Union Canal which runs through Leighton Buzzard. There are also plans to deliver a new waterway connecting the Grand Union Canal at Milton Keynes with the Great River Ouse at Bedford. The inland waterways in Central Bedfordshire are largely used for leisure purposes and supporting wildlife habitat. Whilst in theory, such waterways could be used for low time sensitive goods such as minerals and waste, such activity could have a detrimental impact on wildlife habitats and result in operational and safety issues with the large numbers of leisure users. Waterborne freight is not currently considered to be a realistic alternative for the transportation of goods, including waste and minerals, within the authority.

10.3 Air

According to Future of Freight: A Long-term Plan (DfT 2022), in 2017 air freight represented less than one percent of UK international freight by tonnage, but by value 49% of non-EU exports and 35% of non-EU imports were carried by air. A small amount of freight is currently moved by air from nearby London Luton Airport. In 2008 the airport handled 40,000 tonnes of freight (3,300 cargo movements), 1.8% of all UK air freight volume. There are currently no plans for any significant increase in movements of air freight to or from London Luton Airport.

10.4 Pipelines

The UK pipelines network transports a range of commodities including natural and liquid gas, water, sewage, and oil-based products. Pipelines are effective at moving a volume of goods economically and safely over a fixed route with little environmental impact including minimum use of energy. Pipelines are best suited to carriage of non-time critical freight. An outlet of the UK pipelines network is located at Sandy. Storing more than 25,000 tonnes of hazardous material, the facility generates HGV movements, including road tankers transporting oils and gases.

10.5 Action related to rail freight

Action 5 – Rail freight

The Council will support regional partners and the rail industry in promoting rail freight proposals that increases the opportunity for freight to be transported by rail as opposed to by road, provided that these proposals will not have an excessively detrimental impact on the amenity of nearby communities.