EU backs piggyback wagons to move freight on to railways
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Neil Kinnock, European transport commissioner, will unveil today a new wagon designed to promote the transport of freight on Britain's railways by giving trailers a "piggyback", writes Jill Treanor.
The wagon, designed by Thrall, a Chicago-based company, operates by transporting the trailers - but not the cabs - of articulated lorries.
The limited amount of freight currently transported by rail is moved in containers with no wheels attached. They are not immediately ready for the road when they have completed their rail journey.
The new wagon, known as the EuroSpine, has taken more than three years to design and will begin operations in the new year between Glasgow and London, on the route operated by English Welsh and Scottish Railway.
The project to design the wagon has been run by Piggyback Consortium, made up of around 40 rail companies. The consortium has been working with four wagon designers for some years and Thrall was the first one to complete the project.
"This is the first time it has ever been done in Britain," Lord Berkeley, chairman of the Piggybank Consortium, said yesterday.
He estimates that by 2003 approximately 400,000 trailers will be transported this way, 5 per cent of the freight transported by road between London and Birmingham. However, Lord Berkeley said the forecasts were cautious.
The wagons will be most competitive with road haulage on long journeys and for the time being will only be able to carry low height but heavy loads, such as steel, because of the height of many of the bridges over Britain's rail network.
The bridges are approximately 6 inches too low. "We're pushing Railtrack to raise the bridges," said Lord Berkeley.
The Piggyback Consortium is in discussions with Railtrack over the cost of project of raising the bridges between the Channel Tunnel and Glasgow, which Lord Berkeley argues will cost pounds 100m and which Railtrack puts closer to pounds 300m. European and government subsidies are available to fund the project.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments