Vociferous campaigners, based around the cathedral city and market town of St Albans, are resigned to the establishment of a rail-served logistics terminal at neighbouring Radlett, less than twenty miles (32km) north of London. The argument had centred on the site, a World War Two airfield, being part of the local amenity. They claimed it was not within the local administration’s right to sell.

SRFI precludes further challenges

Local media, which has followed the campaign for years, has reported that a “final nail in the coffin” has been delivered by a legal review. A High Court judge has ruled against the campaigners’ appeal, on the grounds of the legality of the sale of the land. The proposed rail freight terminal has already been designated by the UK government as a “Strategic Rail Freight Interchange”, which precludes further challenges to the development itself.

Logistics developers SEGRO purchased the land with proposals for what was subsequently designated an SRFI by the UK central government in London. The purchase price is understood to have been £34million (€40million). That is relatively modest for the development potential of the 1000-acre (400ha) site. However, it has been significant for the local administration, Hertfordshire County Council. Campaigners say the council was swayed by the funds accrued.

Ensuring environmental promises are kept

Campaign group “Save St Albans: Fight the Freight” had argued that the sale of the land was ‘unlawful’ under the Metropolitan Green Belt Act of 1938. they have admitted that their argument is not with the rail element of the development, but rather the much more significant logistics park which would accompany it. Nuala Webb, a local politician who represents the area and sits in the UK parliament, has pointed out that the park will radically change the nature of the area.

The rail freight terminal will be served from the Midland Main Line, which would connect it directly to other logistics hubs in the logistics “Golden Triangle” of the English East Midlands. It would also provide connections to markets in cities such as Leicester, Sheffield and Leeds. The terminal would take advantage of electrification of the line, a project that is currently underway. Campaigners have vowed that their efforts will shift to monitoring the development and ensuring environmental promises are kept.

Designated Strategic Rail Freight Interchange

Campaigners have heard a High Court judge dismiss their application for a judicial review into the sale of Radlett Aerodrome. The issue predates the rail freight terminal plans. Campaigners say that a law dating back to before the Second World War precludes the local council from selling the land. Campaign group “Save St Albans: Fight the Freight” argue that the sale of the land was ‘unlawful’ under the Metropolitan Green Belt Act of 1938.
The former airfield was effectively gifted to the local council around 1984 for a nominal fee of one pound (€1.17).

The land, say the campaigners, was to have been maintained as an open space in perpetuity. However, Hertfordshire County Council has since sold its share of the 1000-acre (400-hectare) site. Logistics developers SEGRO purchased the land with proposals for what has subsequently been designated a Strategic Rail Freight Interchange (SRFI) by the UK central government in London. That designation carries some weight insofar as it supersedes some of the complicated planning permissions needed for any UK development. The purchase price is understood to have been £34million (€40million).

Crammed in between population centres

“We are not against rail freight,” says Nuala Webb, a local politician and campaigner for Fight the Freight. “If it really was rail freight, and if it wasn’t being built right up against two densely populated areas, then we would be in favour of it.” Nuala Webb told a local radio station that the issue was not about the logistics park itself but rather the initial sale of the land to the local administration, Hertfordshire County Council.

She claims that the sale came with a caveat that the land be maintained as open space in perpetuity. There is a local expectation that the local council would honour their obligations in that respect. The area is subject to significant population and development growth, and few would argue that the amenity land will be missed. Ms Webb also noted that the site is “crammed in between two densely populated villages” and that rail access is restricted by a tunnel which is below gauge to accept intermodal traffic.

Signals have certainly moved

The rail issue was not challenged in the interview but congestion on the Midland Main Line, which runs adjacent to the site, has been identified as an issue. A historic Network Rail report noted that the line already carries significant volumes of aggregate traffic. Intermodal consists are generally confined to the West Coast Main Line, which would be difficult to reach without extensive additional infrastructure.

Campaigners are understood to be considering an appeal. They have told local media that they believed they had grounds to appeal the judge’s decision but had to be mindful of the potential costs of further court action. A petition seeking to stop the development has gathered almost ten thousand signatures.

The parliamentary constituency is held by the centralist Liberal-Democrats. Their candidate at next month’s general election, Daisy Cooper – who was the sitting member of parliament – has already said she will oppose the development. It may not quite be a great light on the development just yet – but the signals have certainly moved to ‘proceed with caution’.

Connecting to ports across England

Maritime Transport, which claims to be the UK’s leading integrated road and rail freight logistics provider, says that when up to capacity of 16 intermodal trains per day, the SRFI will remove more than 83 million HGV (heavy goods vehicle) miles from the UK road network (133 million km). The significant volume of goods switched from road to rail could save around 70,120 tonnes of CO2 each year, say Maritime.

The new terminal will sit alongside seven million square feet (650,000 square metres) of new warehouse facilities. The rail freight terminal will strengthen connections between the English Midlands and the major English ports of Felixstowe, Liverpool, London Gateway, Southampton, and Teesport. Maritime also expect to serve Mossend International Railfreight Park in Central Scotland, when that facility comes online. The Port of Felixstowe is the UK’s largest container terminal, and is the location of Maritime Transport’s headquarters.

Opposition on business and environmental grounds

Although the management agreement has been signed, there is still doubt over the Hinckley development. Local opposition has been dogged, to say the least. The local council administration, and several local stakeholder groups have resisted the development on several grounds, including the business case and environmental impact.

There is still some jeopardy over the eventual completing of the project. The scheme remains dependent on the UK Government Secretary of State for Transport to waive aside objections, and grant approval of a legally binding Development Consent Order. The outcome is due in September this year.

Prime location for rail-linked logistics

Meanwhile, the industry partners have greeting the agreement as a significant step forward. “Maritime Transport’s commitment to an SRFI at this early stage is a significant first in the sector and reflects ultimate confidence in the location’s suitability for rail freight from the leading road and rail freight location provider in the UK”, said Jonathan Wallis, Director at Tritax Symmetry. “We are excited by the potential of this prime location for rail-linked logistics, which we believe will see strong demand for large scale, flexible, modern, low carbon space.”

Maritime see Hinckley as a prime opportunity to further develop their rail-based business. “This development will strengthen our rail-connected network and our strategy of decarbonising the full load supply chain in the UK, moving cargo closer to the end user by rail”, noted John Williams, Executive Chairman of Maritime Transport. “Our strategy of decarbonising the supply chain will extend to the introduction of BEV (Battery Electric Vehicles) to perform first and final mile transport, creating the most sustainable full load networked, intermodal logistics offering for occupiers at HNRFI and beyond.”

Enhance modal shift to rail

Maritime Transport already operates over 40 logistics sites across the UK and has invested significantly in its intermodal offering. Hinckley will add to its portfolio of open-access, multi-user UK rail terminals, including locations at Birmingham, Hams Hall, Kegworth, Manchester, Northampton, London (Tilbury) and Wakefield. Maritime also operates out of existing facilities at Mossend, where expansion is underway.

“We are encouraged by Tritax and Maritime’s commitment to rail freight”, said Maggie Simpson, Director General of the representative organisation, the Rail Freight Group. “This display of support for the UK’s latest SRFI before the DCO decision is determined is extremely welcome for advancement of sustainable, rail-based logistics. The development of a national network of strategic rail freight interchanges is paramount to ensuring the long-term future viability of the UK Government’s target to enhance modal shift of freight from road to rail.”

The UK government has said there is a need to develop a network of Strategic Rail Freight Interchanges (SRFIs) of which this project has been designated a part. However, with opposition elsewhere to similar proposals, there are hurdles to overcome before any trains run or, more pertinently, before any warehouses are erected.

Remote from the rail terminal

After leaving Bicester North, trains heading for Birmingham, along the Chiltern Main Line, soon pass the disused runway of Upper Heyford military air base. Strategic bombers no longer line up on the apron in readiness for the realm’s defence. However, the site is still at the heart of the conflict, with a hot war of words being waged over Oxfordshire Railfreight Limited’s proposals for a Strategic Rail Freight Interchange (SRFI) on land east of the former air base.

The SRFI will serve as a logistics park, which will see over 600,000 square metres of warehousing and associated infrastructure. The promoters of OxSRFI say the proposal responds to the need to create a network of Strategic Rail Freight Interchanges throughout the country and that private sector investment such as this, and the transfer of freight from road to rail, will contribute to a low-carbon economy and address climate change. However, it has been noted that the campus will also need significant dedicated road installations.

Highways agency insist on substantial engineering

Objections have been raised among locally elected representatives. One councillor, Ian Corkin, has spoken to local media, expressing concerns about the limited capacity of the rail line and whether it can handle additional intermodal freight paths. He has also voiced worries about the project’s impact on nearby villages. It does rather sound like St Albans all over again. It may be noted that despite job opportunities, there are no plans for a passenger station to accompany the development. With the campus layout, the councillor was also concerned by the number of heavy goods vehicles that may be used to service the wider logistics park.

The national highways agency has insisted on substantial engineering works to adjacent motorway junctions. They may well feel the same as the councillor. Despite the promoters’ emphasis on rail freight opportunities, trucking would appear to still figure highly. In that light, a statement says that the promoters have decided to “pause the wider work on the project to allow for a thorough review to take place, due to the scale and complexity of the emerging highways infrastructure works and associated transport measures”. If approved, the proposed site will be developed by Mountpark, a developer of logistics parks across Europe.

A massive increase in traffic

Local media says the group wants all legal documents relating to the project released. The group wants particularly to see details of the sale of land by the local authority – Hertfordshire County Council – to the developers. The saga of the troubled development has been dragging on for several years and did appear to be on track to begin. However, at a recent public meeting, a new group was formed to rejoin the resistance.

According to a statement published locally and accredited to the group, “Save St Albans: Fight the Freight” was formed after a public meeting to update residents about the site. The meeting attracted around 300 people. “If the site goes ahead there will be a massive increase in traffic around St Albans, London Colney and Radlett with up to 202 lorries an hour accessing the site”, they say. “That could lead to an extra 2,000 lorries on local roads during the day, with more lorries arriving and departing at night.”

Every likelihood of going ahead

The residents group claim that fresh documents were released last week, regarding the local authority’s decision to sell the land to Segro. They say there are some technicalities which have not been satisfied. However, with the UK government designating the development as a “Strategic Rail Freight Interchange” there seems every likelihood of it going ahead, and the rail terminal being a guaranteed part of that.

However, the group’s website is robust in its refusal to accept that the fight is over. “It is now nearly two years since the decision letter was issued and longer than that since an inspector considered the merits of the proposal”, says the online statement. “In that time much may have changed in terms of the need for a rail freight interchange and the position in terms of the availability of alternatives may be different. The County Council may legitimately look at such matters in its decision making.”

Sweet spot for logistics

It is broadly agreed that the UK needs more warehousing to cope with the changing supply and demand patterns in the UK economy. Modal shift to rail also requires far more of that provision to be rail connected. This latest proposal is just the latest of a string of similar developments, many of them in a broad arc, reaching out from the East Midlands – a sweet spot for logistics operations because of its central geographical location, large market and good communications – including connections with ports around the UK.

The proposals from Oxfordshire Railfreight have gone out to public consultation. The developers are well aware that it may not be plain sailing for such a large proposal in what is an environmentally sensitive area and well known for a population fiercely opposed to change. The first round of public consultation gets underway this week, with a second round scheduled for this Winter.

Needs of existing and future businesses

At around one hour from London, the site has considerable collateral benefits. It is also adjacent to disused Upper Hayford Airfield, which is currently used for storing finished cars awaiting delivery, and there is potential for redevelopment of the runways. The interchange would also be within a few minutes of the new East West Rail line.

According to Oxfordshire Railfreight, the UK government is committed to expanding the network of SRFI across the regions. They say there are currently no SRFIs along the Chiltern corridor and none which serve Oxfordshire. “An Oxfordshire SRFI would be capable of expanding the existing network of SRFIs, meet the needs of existing and future businesses in Oxfordshire, and be capable of helping to meet the needs of London and the Midlands”, they say. “The site is ideally located adjacent to the M40 motorway and the south of the Chiltern Railway, part of the strategic rail freight network. Our plans look to meet the needs of the logistics industry in serving manufacturers, distributors and retailers by capitalising on the site’s locational strengths and connectivity to the railway and motorway networks. Graphics: Oxfordshire Railfreight

Freight train tunnel

Winvic has begun with earthworks in preparation for the building plateaux, estate roads, and a 170-metre reinforced concrete tunnel, which will screen freight trains after departing from the terminal. Foundations will be laid for the concrete walls, and pre-cast beams will be installed before the structure is buried with earth and landscaped.

In the first couple of months of operations, Winvic anticipates moving around one million cubic metres of material to facilitate the project. The 450-acre (182 hectares) development will be home to five million square feet (456,000 square metres) of sustainable warehouse space and logistics facilities. The facility is also adjacent to the M1 motorway, connecting London, Sheffield and Leeds.

Network of modern facilities

The need for facilities such as Northampton Gateway has increased over the past eighteen months. Andrew Pilsworth, Managing Director, National Logistics at SEGRO, believes the facility had more relevance than ever. “The World Economic Forum estimates that nearly a quarter of the UK’s population is expected to permanently change the way they shop following the pandemic”, he said. “It is thought that e-commerce could rise from 19.2 per cent to 53 per cent by 2028. It will only be possible for people to buy more goods online if they choose to and to have them delivered promptly if we continue to develop high-quality warehouse space in the right locations, such as SEGRO Logistics Park Northampton Gateway.”

In the UK government plan for a greener, zero-emissions economy, the importance of dedicated distribution hubs, served by rail, was emphasised. The plan, published at the end of last week, calls for a network of modern facilities and mandates growth in rail freight, backed up by last-mile delivery. “At this site, we will also have the added benefit of the rail freight terminal, which will enable these goods to be transported around the country more sustainably”, said Pilsworth.

The infrastructure improvements are being delivered in partnership with Highways England, Network Rail and local authorities and are anticipated to be complete by the end of 2023. When complete, the site will also include over 80 acres of parkland and amenity grassland, 18km of footpaths, 20km of hedgerows and the planting of 60,000 new trees.

30 per cent growth

Although far from de-industrialised, Britain’s manufacturing base is far smaller than historically, and the tradition of a factory siding in every corner of the country is long gone. The model now is of a trading economy, far more dependent on distribution than manufacturing. That new pattern of demand is driving the development of a network of designated Strategic Rail Freight Interchanges (SRFIs) – purpose built to handle distributed goods, primarily in intermodal containers, but also serving growing markets in express freight and high-speed parcels.

“Rail infrastructure can often unlock significant property and logistics developments”, says Peter Frost of Kilbride Holdings. “Our strategy as a group is to put infrastructure in place to serve development. In this way the development is not only given the best chance of being a sustainable part of the region, but the infrastructure also enhances the appeal of the development. With rail freight forecast to grow by over 30 per cent in the next decade, gives us and our clients considerable opportunities.”

Great value for the taxpayer

Guy Bates, Head of Freight Development at Network Rail, is right behind the development of a network of SRFIs, and stressed the context within which the modern terminal fitted. “Network Rail support the development of SRFIs. They are great value for the taxpayer because … we don’t pay anything”, he mused. The commercially-led nature of the industry means that much of the new infrastructure required is funded privately, and off the balance sheet for Network Rail. “They are absolutely necessary to affect the modal shift that we are all desirous of”, he added.

“They are freight stations in the same way as we get directly involved in developments for the bulk sector. Intermodal is the other big pillar of growth. The important thing to note for SRFI and rail-connected warehousing is that they have a role to play for the other emerging sectors that we see in rail freight – express freight and high-speed parcels. You don’t get that sort of traffic to rail unless you’ve got somewhere to put it to rail. That’s a role that SRFIs can play.”

Britain’s pioneering role

Britain’s historical rail network suffered from a lack of planning and a competitive dash to grab the market. That often resulted in uneconomic duplication, less apparent in better planned European networks that leaned from Britain’s pioneering role. That’s not a mistake anyone is keen to repeat with the roll out of SRFIs. Peter Frost emphasises that his company is among those examining demand very closely, and the planning framework within the UK is now very much more robust than it was in the early days of rail development. As an example, he puts forward the proposals for the West Midlands Interchange, nominally known as Four Ashes.

“The West Midlands has a shortage of suitable quality development land for large scale rail linked logistics warehousing”, says Frost. “The project is being taken through a major national infrastructure planning application for warehousing and a large scale intermodal rail terminal. The rail infrastructure has GRIP3 (Governance for Railway Investment Projects) approval from Network Rail.”

Jobs and regional interchanges

The efficiency of modern rail operations makes obsolete the vast marshalling yards of the past, and the size of the SRFI of the future is dominated by the warehousing it serves.“When built, it will provide up to 743,200 square metres of new rail-served and rail-linked warehousing allowing the region’s important logistics industry to grow”, says Frost. Typically, he’s bullish about the employment prospects of the site. “The scheme will create 8,550 direct jobs boosting opportunities for people in South Staffordshire, the Black Country, the West Midlands and other surrounding areas.”

Vast warehouse complexes, served by rail will be the future face of freight operations, suggests Guy Bates of Network Rail. He says that, in time, they will generate traffic in their own right, and contribute to those expected growth figures. “Network capacity permitting, there will be traffic growth between a greater disposition of SRFIs”, he says. “Equally it’s appropriate there are some areas of the country where the SRFI model can’t work because of planning restrictions or a lack of demand for warehousing, but the advent of a rail terminal of some description, that kind of regional interchange is something we do need to look at.”