Press Release                  25 January 2010

RFG welcomes new Rugby Terminal

The Rail Freight Group has welcomed the official opening of DB Schenker’s Rugby Terminal last week, the sixth inland hub it runs. 

On a wet 22nd January, transport minister Chris Mole MP officially opened the £1m modern terminal, which was formerly a disused coal loading site.

The new site, connected to the electrified West Coast Main Line, will enable DB Schenker to operate longer and higher capacity freight trains, reducing greenhouse gases.

DB claims it will handle three trains a day and around 50,000 containers per year by the end of 2010.

It added that the Rugby terminal’s central location was ideal to provide strategic access to the Midlands and is immediately adjacent to the Rugby, Lutterworth, Daventry and Coventry logistics parks.

Services at the terminal began in January with one train per day supplying just-in-time deliveries to supermarkets in Scotland.

Additional services will be introduced in the coming months, with a mix of domestic UK container services and trains to and from mainland Europe through the Channel Tunnel.

RFG chairman Tony Berkeley commented: "This is a welcome addition to the range of terminals in the Midlands, well located for road and rail connections.  Now that the four tracking of the West Coast Main Line is finally completed, there is good capacity for freight both south to London and North to Crewe."

For a hi-res version please email james@rfg.org.uk

Notes to editor:
The RFG has been the UK’s leading rail freight campaign group since its formation in 1991.
It has more than 150 member companies, ranging from Maersk, the world's largest container shipping line, to high street retailer, Marks & Spencer. Our members include customers, logistics providers, suppliers, terminal operators, ports and freight train operating companies.
RFG's aim is to promote cost effective rail solutions for freight, with a vision to see the sector attract a steadily increasing market share year on year.
RFG works hard in the interests of its members; to represent their views and provide a wide range of advice and information.
RFG is a Company Limited by Guarantee and all revenue is ploughed back into providing services to members. It was originally formed in 1991 to represent the views of those involved with the rail freight industry that were not British Rail.
The RFG seeks to achieve its objectives by organising meetings and visits, by responding to consultation papers and by lobbying government, European Institutions, the Office of Rail Regulation and Network Rail.
One of its major successes was the inclusion in the 1993 Railways Act of a duty on the Government and Rail Regulator (now Office of Rail Regulation) to promote rail freight.
RFG also looks to involve the media in positive comment and news where possible, and publishes a newsletter, circulated to nearly 2,000 opinion-formers, generally every two months.