Rail freight UK

GB Railfreight has expressed its delight and relief that the high-speed line from London to Birmingham received the go-ahead this morning following the publication of the Oakervee Review. HS2, which was green-lighted in a statement to the House of Commons by the Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, following a meeting of the Cabinet, will begin construction in the coming weeks, over a decade after it was originally proposed. GB Railfreight, one of the fastest growing companies in the railway sector, has been preparing to support construction logistics, including removing spoil and waste, and delivering inbound materials. The Prime Minister’s announcement was followed by the publication of the Government-commissioned Oakervee Review into HS2, which concluded that “on balance Ministers should proceed” with the project as the “original rationale for HS2 still holds”. John Smith, Managing Director of GB Railfreight, who submitted a response to the Oakervee Review, said:

“I am delighted and relieved the Government has given the green light to the project. 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. There is no other viable alternative to the project, as both the Oakervee Review and the Prime Minister have acknowledged.  “By signing off on the scheme, the Government has committed to expanding capacity beyond just passenger services. The decision will free up extra capacity on the West Coast Mainline which will help the growth of rail freight, supporting economic growth across the UK and helping the delivery of the Government’s targets to decarbonise the economy by supporting the shift of freight from road to more sustainable rail services.  “Delivering HS2 will, in the long term, support the UK’s regional cities and towns to prosper and connect to other surrounding areas. I applaud the Prime Minister for making the right decision rather than delay any further.”