The Freight Transport Association has welcomed a decision that rail freight will be managed alongside other GB-wide rail operations in the devolved route structure of Network Rail.
The move comes in the wake of the Shaw Review and means that “freight and national operations” will come under one Network Rail managing director.
Chris MacRae, FTA head of rail freight policy, said: “The Shaw Report on the structure of Network Rail recognised the concerns of the freight sector that Britain-wide freight operations should not be compromised by the route devolution process and alignment with dominant passenger franchises. The announcement of a single MD dealing with freight operations and other GB-wide operators is therefore a welcome one and develops the ‘system-operator’ role in the Shaw Report. Most freight flows in Britain operate across more than one Network Rail boundary.”
