9 February 2011
Campaign success on rail freight grant
Welcome for Scottish Government decision to re-instate Freight Facilities Grant scheme in Scottish Budget
Commenting on the Scottish Government's decision to reinstate the Freight Facilities Grant (FFG) scheme in the final Scottish Budget (see news release from Rail Freight Group below), Colin Howden, Director of Transform Scotland said:
"We're pleased to see that the Government has seen sense and reinstated this critical rail freight fund. Scrapping the FFG would have gone against the Scottish Government's aim of shifting freight from road to rail and sea."The Government also has strenuous targets to meet on climate change. Rail freight is three times more energy-efficient than road haulage, and there are clear carbon benefits from ongoing investment in rail freight across Scotland."See <
http://www.transformscotland.org.uk/benefits-across-scotland-for-critical-rail-freight-fund.aspx> for locations across Scotland that could now benefit from rail freight investment.
The reinstatement of the fund follows a joint campaign by the Rail Freight Group and Transform Scotland.
David Spaven of the Rail Freight Group writes:The Scottish Government has reprieved FFG north of the Border in the final Scottish Budget announced today by Cabinet Secretary, John Swinney. After he rose to speak at 14.35 this afternoon the very first amendment to the budget Swinney announced was on FFG, which drew a round of applause from MSPs:
“Presiding Officer, I wish to present a number of measures to Parliament today.Firstly, I have reflected on the representations made by the Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change Committee, and the road haulage industry, about provision for the Freight Facilities Grant. I confirm today that I will increase by £2 million the funding for the Freight Facilities Grant in next year’s Budget. This will be funded through adjustments to the existing Transport Scotland budget for 2011-12.” This is a great result for a campaign which brought together rail freight interests, industry, environmental groups and MSPs from all five parties in Parliament. I am particularly pleased that RFG and Transform Scotland (the sustainable transport alliance) were able to work so effectively together, and hopefully we will do more of this in the future. Many thanks to all of you who contributed to the campaign.
While £2m for one year is less than we would have liked, it does give us FFG continuity and a breathing space to press for an improved scheme from 2012-13 onwards.
Regards
David Spaven
Scottish Representative
Rail Freight Group