Freightliner expansion connects London Tilbury with Manchester

UK operator Freightliner has launched a new Tilbury to Manchester intermodal service. The first train ran from London on Monday, 30 September. Freightliner say the train is the very first to be supported by a new financial incentive offered by Network Rail, the UK government’s infrastructure agency.

Uncertainty over the future of their Manchester terminal has not discouraged Freightliner from developing a new link with London. Tilbury 2, which is within the designated freeport on the River Thames, now has an additional intermodal service to Manchester’s Trafford Park. Only last week, it was revealed that the terminal in the northwest of England was the subject of negotiations with its neighbours, Manchester United football club, over future land use.

Sustainable expansion for rail freight operator

Freightliner says that the new diagram will serve short sea and international continental container traffic arriving from European ports. Furthermore, they say the working was made possible by a discount scheme recently launched by Network Rail to support new services and encourage the modal shift to rail within Great Britain.

“The Access Charge Discount scheme is an important initiative to deliver modal shift and achieve industry growth targets,” said Tim Shoveller, CEO at Freightliner Group. “We are pleased that our new daily train for P&O Ferrymasters is the first service to use the new scheme, enabling us to deliver our customers’ goods more sustainably.”

Multimodal goal for ferry operator

This service has been launched in collaboration with P&O Ferrymasters, who operate between UK, Irish, Dutch and French ports. This is a brand new route and, therefore, eligible for the new Network Rail Access Charge Discount scheme. This provides a six-month window, during which charges are waived. The scheme is designed to grow volumes and enable the service to become financially sustainable. It primarily helps address UK government-mandated targets on net-zero emissions.

“We are pleased that the industry has worked collaboratively to make this new UK service a reality,” said John Freyne, Director Intermodal at P&O Ferrymasters. “Adding a UK rail service to our extensive European multimodal network has been a key goal for us, and we are delighted that the new Network Rail scheme has made this possible.” Tilbury, owned by Edinburgh-based Forth Ports, is undergoing rail-connected expansion plans and has welcomed the new service.

Network Rail’s Director of Planning and Regulation, Paul McMahon, said the new scheme is helping to drive modal shift and incentivise businesses to use rail freight. “The launch of this services is a great example of how Network Rail can play a big role in growing our economy in a way that minimises our impact on the environment.” Last week’s speculation over the future of Freightliner’s Trafford Park terminal will not affect the service in the short term, and it is expected that it would transfer to any new site, along with other traffic at the terminal.