This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
Listen
Track upgrade to speed up delivery of whisky
23/04/2004
The delivery of whisky from distillers
in the North East to shops and bars across the UK will be
improved.
The Executive has provided £500,000 to
complete preparatory engineering work and establish the
costs to upgrade to the track between Elgin, Aberdeen and
Mossend in Lanarkshire. The improvements would allow for
the use of the larger modern containers preferred by the
food and paper industries, transferring up to 1.3 million
tonnes of freight from road to rail.
Produce from the North East such as
whisky and paper could then begin their journey by rail to
market in Scotland, the UK and across the world, boosting
the local economy and bringing environmental benefits.
Major supermarkets would also be expected to use the
track.
Speaking at a rail freight conference
in Aberdeen, Transport Minister Nicol Stephen said:
"The track upgrade to carry more rail
freight will bring major benefits to the economy ant
environment of the North East. We want to maintain the
momentum behind the project and this funding is essential
to its early delivery.
"The demand for fine malts and blends
from the North East is very strong.
Switching more whisky deliveries from road
to rail will speed up delivery to whisky lovers throughout
the UK and overseas. The paper industry will also benefit
very significantly and drivers throughout the North East
will welcome reduced congestion and fewer lorries on our
roads.
"
We want to get freight off our roads and onto our
railways. This scheme will make a major impact. The planned
rail improvements in the North East will transfer up
to 1.3 million tonnes of freight from road to rail. We are
working closely with the North East Rail Freight
Development Group, Strategic Rail Authority and Scottish
Enterprise to deliver this important project."
The
Mossend - Elgin Freight Loading Gauge Enhancement
Scheme involves the moving or dropping of the track
in 18 places. Funding for the preparatory work has been
provided to the North East Rail Freight Development Group.
It is expected to take 12 months, following which bids can
be sought to undertake the upgrade of the track. Initial
studies indicate that the full project may cost between
£2.8 and £5.6 million.
Container types that currently cannot
reach the area because they are too high and would strike
or be too close to structures such as bridges include the
standard maritime containers, temperature-controlled
containers used to transport food, and curtain-sided
containers used by the paper industry. The international
rail freight industry will cease to use the smaller
containers which can at present use the track by 2010.