U.K. RAIL USERS ASK FOR “RIGHT PRICE AND RIGHT SERVICE”
U.K. RAIL USERS ASK FOR “RIGHT PRICE AND RIGHT SERVICE”
The U.K.-based Freight Transport Association, which represents British transport users and providers, gave a qualified welcome to the British government’s Strategic Rail Authority’s policy to increase rail freight volumes.
Following a meeting with the Strategic Rail Authority, the Freight Transport Association said that it is concerned that “the underlying problems of rail freight were still not resolved.”
“The government wants rail freight use to grow by 80 percent over the next 10 years,” said Sarah Watkins, rail specialist at the Freight Transport Association. “But it is clear from this meeting that potential customers need to see positive action from all parties if this objective is to be achieved.”
“In short, they are saying: ‘We want to use rail freight, but give us a price that is right and a service which works’,” Watkins added.
The Freight Transport Association said that rail shippers need to see investment “actually happening.”
The association also called for cuts in track access charges, the amount charged by the infrastructure-owning company Railtrack to train operators to use the network.
The Freight Transport Association said that customers are now in a “wait and see” mode.