Category: Reports

GB Railfreight is calling for the Government to approve the construction of HS2 and to focus on the long-term benefits the project will deliver to not just the North, but for the country and the economy as a whole.

In an open letter to the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, the UK’s biggest rail freight operating companies, including GB Railfreight, have called for the Government to commit to high-speed rail and finally green light the project, a whole decade after it was originally proposed.

The letter also highlights the importance of rail freight in tackling climate change. With the Government committed to reaching net zero carbon emissions by 2050 and hosting the COP26 Climate Summit in Glasgow later this year, HS2 represents a unique opportunity to decarbonise much of the transport network.

John Smith, Managing Director of GB Railfreight, and a signatory of the open letter, said:

“Cancelling HS2 would result in the loss of jobs, investment and faith in the deliverability of large-scale infrastructure projects. Regional connectivity needs to be fully supported and it is especially important for the rail freight sector, as it helps unlock routes and opportunities for businesses to choose rail over road freight.”

“Delivering HS2 will, in the long term, support the UK’s regional cities and towns to prosper and connect to other surrounding areas. The Government should move quickly to green light the project rather than delay even further.”

With the future of HS2 to be decided next month, GB Railfreight Managing Director John Smith is urging both Government and industry to focus on the long-term benefits the project will deliver to not just the North, but for a cross section of UK businesses.

It has taken ten years of expert design and development, Parliamentary scrutiny, and public consultation to get to this point. Delivering such a large and crucial infrastructure scheme is no easy feat.

Commenting on the National Audit Office’s progress update, published today (Friday 24 January), John Smith said: “Cancelling HS2 would result in the loss of jobs, investment and faith in the deliverability of large-scale infrastructure projects.

 “Regional connectivity needs to be fully supported and it is especially important for the rail freight sector, as it helps unlock routes and opportunities for businesses to choose rail over road freight.”

HS2 will be the first new railway constructed north of London for over a century, creating much needed capacity and connections across the North and Midlands. For GBRf there is no other viable alternative to the project.

Smith said: “If the Government takes the decision to pull the plug on HS2 now it will have a considerable negative impact on UK construction firms; the construction industry; young people starting their careers in construction and on the railways; and for rail freight which provides sustainable transport logistics.”

Businesses across the UK have delivered significant investment in preparation for work on the HS2 to start. Nearly 2,000 business have worked on the project and 9,000 people are already employed directly or indirectly by the scheme.

GB Railfreight employs over 900 people across the UK with a major centre of operations in Doncaster, and has been preparing to support construction logistics, including removing spoil and waste, and delivering inbound materials

John Smith added:  “Many young people have made education and career choices around work starting on the scheme soon, opting to studying at the National College for Advanced Transport & Infrastructure in Doncaster and Birmingham in the expectation of doing their bit to deliver the UK’s most ambitious infrastructure project for a generation.

“While some critics are pushing for investment to be diverted to local commuter routes, without HS2 there won’t be the additional employment opportunities and business investment.

 “Delivering HS2 will, in the long term, support the UK’s regional cities and towns to prosper and connect to other surrounding areas. The Government should move quickly to green light the project rather than delay even further.”

GB Railfreight is delighted to announce the appointment of James Cooper as Chairman. James commenced his new role on 29 November 2019.

James has had a prestigious career spanning the infrastructure and financial services industries. Most recently James served as Chief Executive of Associated British Ports. Prior to this James has also been Chief Executive and Chairman of Red Funnel Ferries and has served in leading roles within Infracapital, BNP Paribas, and Hambros Bank. He brings considerable knowledge across a broad range of industries complementary to the GB Railfreight business and will be a valuable addition to an already strong and experienced senior leadership team.

In September 2019, GBRf announced Infracapital’s new ownership of the company and James’s appointment highlights the business’s commitment to future growth and continuing to deliver a reliable and high-quality service for customers.

This appointment marks a very exciting time for GBRf who have a turnover in excess of £200 million a year and operate over 1,000 trainloads a week, moving approximately 23% of the UK’s rail cargo.

John Smith, GBRf Managing Director, and James will be working closely to ensure continued growth in freight, as the business makes a concerted effort to prioritise growth in the intermodal market and other key sectors as businesses look to more sustainable logistics solution.

John Smith, Managing Director GBRf, said:

“I am thrilled James is joining the GBRf family. As a business, we have entered an exciting time and James’s wealth of experience will help us meet and exceed our ambitious growth plans. The industry continues to evolve and innovate, and James is best placed to lead us into the future of rail freight.”

 James Cooper said:

 “I am delighted to be joining the Board of GBRf. The company has an outstanding reputation in the sector and as GBRf enters a new chapter focusing on ambitious growth plans, I look forward to contributing to the business’s success.” 

Ed Clarke, Managing Director at Infracapital, said:

“We at Infracapital welcome James to GBRf. His breadth of experience across the wider infrastructure sector will complement and support GB Railfreight’s existing wealth of management expertise. We look forward to working closely together to achieve the sustainable growth ambitions of this exciting business.”

GB Railfreight are delighted to announce a seven-year deal with Hanson Cement for rail freight services from Ketton cement works in Rutland and Ribblesdale cement works in Lancashire, to terminals at London King’s Cross, Avonmouth (Bristol) and Mossend (Glasgow).

GB Railfreight will operate on average nine trains a week transporting cement in tank wagons which will support major construction projects in London as well as the development of Hinkley Point C Nuclear Power Station.

The deal is a continuation of a very successful partnership between GB Railfreight and Hanson and will provide a reliable service moving cement to nationally significant infrastructure projects. The movement of cement from road to rail also helps to reduce carbon emissions and congestion on the road network.

John Smith, Managing Director of GB Railfreight, said:

“We are absolutely thrilled to be providing more rail freight services for Hanson. We already provide four trains a week between Ribblesdale and Avonmouth, and this deal will see GB Railfreight haul cement for the first time. We are delighted to continue our partnership and look forward to developing this specific part of Hanson’s supply chain.”

Matt Barlow, Supply Chain Director for Hanson UK, said:

“We are working to increase the tonnage of material we transport by rail across the UK. This arrangement helps us to take trucks off the roads and reduce our carbon emissions. We are thrilled to continue our partnership with GB Railfreight, who have always provided us with an excellent service.”

On Wednesday 14 August, GB Railfreight celebrated two long-serving and highly dedicated members of staff by naming Class 66 locomotives in their honour.

The naming of ‘Maria’ and ‘Amanda’ took place during a special service from Doncaster, calling at Cleethropes for the official naming by John Smith, Managing Director of GB Railfreight. This continues a long tradition of naming locomotives after the key women who make GBRf the successful and fast-growing company it is today.

Maria Dennison, an Assistant Train Manager in Peterborough joined GBRf in 2003, and Amanda Wilson, Business Manager, Bulk Services, started with the company in 2012. Both employees have been a considerable asset to the GBRf team and are very deserving of this accolade.

Guests of honour Maria and Amanda were presented with commemorative replicas of the engines and the name plaques that will adorn the locomotives as they move across the length and breadth of Britain.

John Smith, Managing Director of GB Railfreight said:

“Both Amanda and Maria are hugely valued members of the team and it was my pleasure to name two new locomotives after them. Our staff are the lifeblood of GB Railfreight and we are delighted to be able to recognise their contribution to our success in this way.

 “It is a longstanding GBRf tradition to name locomotives after some of our most hardworking female members of staff and apart from celebrating their hard work it is also a sign of the diverse makeup of our workforce – something we are incredibly proud of.”

 Amanda Wilson, Business Manager, Bulk Services said:

“Having started in the industry in 1983 on a youth training scheme, this is my 35^th year of fulltime employment so the timing of this couldn’t be better or seem more appropriate.”

 “This is a huge honour, and as a lover of trains I am delighted there is now one named after me on the railways”

Carl Kent, GB Railfreight’s (GBRf) current Head of Strategy and Innovation has been appointed Head of Market Development and will assume his new role and responsibilities from 17 June 2019.

Kent has worked within the business for five years. He has been highly influential in the successful implementation and delivery of many major contracts in what has been a period of significant growth for the company. The Business Implementation team, led by Kent, have delivered a range of new rail freight business in intermodal, international, bulk, energy, infrastructure and rail services markets. In addition, Kent has played a key role in lobbying industry groups during the Periodic Review 2018 (PR18) and the ongoing Williams Rail Review.

Kent said of his promotion:

“Working at GBRf has been challenging and exciting, in equal measure. The culture of the business is something that I deeply buy into and try to instil in those around me. I look forward to bringing my skills in developing solutions to deliver new business volumes in line with the development of new market opportunities for GBRf to successfully exploit.”

Lee Armstrong, Commercial Director of GB Railfreight, stated:

“I am thrilled that Carl is the new Head Market Development, he has worked successfully with the Commercial Team and the Market Development Team for several years, he has a fantastic understanding of GB Railfreight and our customers’ requirements, consistently influential in developing business solutions, these skills complement his new role.”

The role’s current holder, Jonathan Bailey, leaves the business after two years in post. He goes to DFDS Seaways, where he will be Shipping Logistics Director.

GBRf would like to thank Jonathan for the excellent work he has done in bringing new contracts into the business, particularly in expanding the company’s operations throughout Europe and developing strategies to work more effectively within the supply chain. Lee Armstrong added:

“Over the last few years with GB Railfreight, Jonathan has been instrumental in helping deliver GB Railfreight’s growth, I would like to congratulate him for his new Director role with DFDS and thank him for the success he helped bring to GB Railfreight.”

GB Railfreight are today pleased to announce they have agreed a contract extension with British Gypsum, which will see their partnership continue through to December 2021.

The extension will mean not only the continuation of GBRf’s existing service from Southampton to British Gypsum’s plasterboard plant in Robertsbridge, but the provision of further terminal services at Robertsbridge and additional rail haulage flow from AV Dawson in Teeside to British Gypsum’s plant at East Leake, Loughborough.

The contract demonstrates GBRf’s sustained support for the UK building sector, with gypsum forming the main constituent in many forms of plaster, blackboard chalk and wallboard.

An average of 10 services will run per week going forward, with the resource having been running on an ad hoc service out of AV Dawson for British Gypsum since November 2018.

John Smith, Managing Director of GB Railfreight, said:

“We are really pleased to see the continuation of this contract with British Gypsum. It marks GB Railfreight’s continued commitment to the UK building sector, to which gypsum is an unsung hero.

It also underlines the important role that rail freight plays in helping the construction sector increase its sustainability. Each trainload can take up to 70 lorries off the road, therefore significantly reducing emissions.”

Kevin Flinton, Senior Procurement Manager at British Gypsum, said:

“GBRf ’s rail freight services play an important role in the success of our business, enabling the reliable flow of raw materials to our manufacturing plants and ensuring the supply of our products to the UK construction sector.

Our use of rail freight underlines our commitment to increasing the sustainability of operations in the UK and the addition of extra services highlights the health of our business and the strength of our partnership with the GBRf.”