A new rail freight depot for south London has been approved by the Government and building work on the 158-acre green belt site is expected to start soon.
The go-ahead for Howbury Park – despite opposition from Bexley Council and some environmentalists – will involve a rail connection with the North Kent main line via a disused rail line near Slade Green passenger train depot.
The depot will receive goods carried on up to six trains a day, which would then be transferred to lorries for their onward journeys.
Rail campaigners believe the rail freight interchange will prove beneficial to both the economy and the environment.
“We view Howbury Park as essential for the success of rail freight movement to, from and across London, and a key part of implementing Government strategy for promoting rail freight," said Philippa Edmunds, Freight on Rail campaigner.
"Without permission for interchanges, rail freight volumes cannot be expanded so this is great news for society and the economy.”
Howbury Park will be an important part of the network of strategic rail freight interchanges which should alleviate road congestion and reduce carbon emissions.
Freight on Rail gave written evidence to a public inquiry claiming special circumstances should allow use of green belt in this case.
FoR views the judgement as a test case for getting planning permission for interchanges in the south east and London regions.
ProLogis which will own and run the park also owns Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal and ProLogis Park Coventry.
“The official National Strategic Rail Freight Interchange policy identified a need for three to four major interchanges in the Greater London area if Government policy to shift freight to sustainable modes is to be realised, as rail freight volumes cannot grow without terminals to trans-ship freight," said Philippa.
"Rail freight can act as a freight bypass and has a crucial role to play in delivering a carbon-friendly transport policy in line with the Department for Transport’s framework. An average freight train can remove 50 heavy lorries from our roads.”
This decision is also in line with the Government's Eddington Review which highlighted the importance of inland connections to international gateways.
The House of Commons transport select committee has also warned: "Much of our future freight growth will have to be focused on rail, inland water and coastal shipping; the burden of this will fall on rail’.
In regeneration terms, the interchange could introduce up to 2,000 direct new jobs and more indirect jobs to the area.
Lorries going to the site can use two miles of dual carriageway from London's M25 orbital motorway.
Prologis also own the Amazon distribution park at Ridgmont, Bedfordshire, adjacent to Junction 13 of the M1 motorway and the new Ridgmont bypass. Although right next to the Marston Vale railway line, this Prologis site is not rail-connected.
Tonne for tonne carried, rail freight produces five times less carbon dioxide emissions than road freight and up to 15 times less noxious emissions.
An aggregates train can remove 120 lorries from our roads while a container train can remove 50 heavy lorries from the road.
Emissions from heavy lorries have grown by about 30% since 1990 and lorries are an important transport source of greenhouse emissions, second only to cars/vans and to international aviation.
Freight on Rail is a partnership between four unions, rail freight companies EWS and Freightliner, as well as the the Rail Freight Group and the Campaign for Better Transport.
Information from Philippa Edmunds, Freight on Rail philippa at freightonrail.org.uk
www.freightonrail.org.uk
www.prologis.com