Media centre

Tuesday 10 Jun 2008

MINISTER SEES RAIL FREIGHT FUNDING IN ACTION IN HULL

Region & Route:

Rosie Winterton MP, Minister of State for Transport, yesterday (10 June)visited Hull Port, to see the final work of a £14.5 million project to more than double capacity on the rail freight line.

This investment is part of the first scheme to be delivered by Network Rail under the Government's Transport Innovation Fund. The works have also received funding from The Northern Way and Yorkshire Forward. Associated British Ports (ABP) has also invested £2.85m on its infrastructure.

Rosie Winterton said: "I am delighted to visit Hull Port to see how TIF funding is delivering real benefits to business and supporting regional development. This train line improves the connectivity of ports throughout the Humber area strengthening its role as an economic driver for this region, the North and the UK as a whole."

The Hull Docks capacity works are the first stage of a package of improvements designed to improve rail freight access to the ports at Hull and Immingham; bringing substantial economic and environmental benefits to the region.

The work involved:

· installing a brand new signalling system to replace the current token operated one, allowing for faster and freer traffic movement.

· doubling one mile of track to smooth the flow of traffic into the port.

· strengthening 15 bridges. removing one bridge entirely at Ella Street (involving closing a railway access road).

· strengthening one mile of embankment. major track and other works on the Hull river bridge.

· smoothing and realigning the whole six miles of track.

· installing a new double junction at Hessle Road where the freight line joins the passenger route to Hull

Neil Henry, route director for Network Rail said: “Freight routes are vital in supporting the ports as they expand to meet international demand. This work is the first step to allow the ports at Hull and Immingham to continue to expand. Network Rail is delighted to be delivering this scheme which more than doubles the capacity of the Hull Docks Branch.

"Completion of this work in parallel with the Brigg line freight upgrade - which ends in late June - also marks the successful completion of the first key elements of the Humber Ports capacity freight programme.”

Terry Hodgkinson, chair of Yorkshire Forward, said: "The Humber Ports contribute over £250 million a year to the regional economy and support over 47,000 jobs. Increasing the capacity of the Hull Docks Branch Line is an important first step in improving rail access to the Humber Ports. This is an important priority in the Regional Economic Strategy, for the Northern Way and for the country as a whole.

Neville Chamberlain, chair of Northern Way added: "The North's ports handle over one third of UK port traffic and in the Humber we have the UK's leading port complex. The investment that Yorkshire Forward, the Northern Way and other partners are making in improving rail access will increase the ports’ economic contribution and support international trade and jobs and businesses in the region and across the north."

Matt Jukes, ABP Port Director, Hull & Goole, commented: "ABP has invested, and continues to invest, in the development of new terminals and facilities at its Port in Hull. This significant investment will support the additional handling capacity we have added to our ports by enabling ever-increasing volumes of cargo to be moved efficiently in and out of the port by rail. This is integral to facilitating the future growth of trade at the port and the intrinsic benefit this generates for the region's economy, for which the ports serve as a major gateway for trade with Europe and the rest of the world."