Thousands of extra lorries could be bound for North West roads

Date published: 09/11/2006

A flood of extra lorries could start to congest North West roads if a dispute over Channel tunnel railfreight is not resolved by the end of the month.

Rochdale Euro-MP Chris Davies has warned that prospects of transferring continental freight traffic from road to rail is set to hit the buffers.

A long agreement on transport charges between Eurotunnel and rail operators comes to an end on 30 November.  Train operators claim that new costs proposed will bring railfreight through the Channel Tunnel to a shuddering halt.

Eurotunnel says its plans to start charging £8000 for every train.  But EWS, Britain's largest railfreight operator, says that to compete with long distance lorries the maximum amount acceptable is nearer £300.

If a deal cannot be reached then from the start of December, goods will have to be transported to the continent by road resulting in a massive increase in traffic on the roads.

EWS, Britain's largest railfreight company, operates round 10 freight trains from the Trafford Park container terminal each week carrying loads such as toys, petfoods, nappies and non-hazardous chemicals.  Combined with loads from other operators, and those travelling through the North West to and from Scotland, over 22,000 lorry movements per year are avoided.

Graham Smith, EWS Planning Director said: "The opportunity for rail freight through the Channel Tunnel is vast.  With the focus on climate change, it is important for Government, Eurotunnel and ourselves to find a solution to this issue."

Euro-MP Chris Davies, the Liberal Democrats' environment spokesman in the European Parliament, has been told by the European Commission that it has no direct powers to intervene.

But he is calling for the Government to use its influence to insist that Eurotunnel sets a rate that will encourage railfreight development rather than promote transport chaos on the roads.

He said:  "Train operators are in cut throat competition with road haulage. The massive hike in charges proposed will kill off the existing freight services and destroy the hopes that the Channel Tunnel can open up vast opportunities to win traffic for the railways.

"Billions of pounds of public money have gone into support for Eurotunnel. Now it's time for the Government to call in the lawyers and get tough."

EWS (English, Welsh and Scottish Railway Ltd) are the largest rail operator in Britain and has invested £500 million in its rail freight operations.