New Rail Freight Centre’s Green Credentials
January 24th 2006
A once-contaminated brown field site on the banks of the Mersey has been transformed into a new rail freight distribution centre, creating 1,500 new jobs.
The site at Ditton, near Widnes, is the first opened in the UK by Innovis. It is estimated that the centre will take 500,000 tonnes of freight a year from road to rail – equal to 40,000 articulated lorry loads – as well as bring £65m investment to the local area.
Innovis are aiming to open a number of such centres across the country. They say the Ditton depot is in line with government policy providing more infrastructure support to ports, with a greater emphasis on rail rather than roads.
Rail minister Derek Twigg, who officially opened the facility, said: “This is a great scheme and marvellous news for the north west. All the project partners are to be congratulated on a well-planned and well thought out venture.”
Keith Williams, Innovis director, added: “This is our flagship, a new modern hub which represents significant new investment in Britain’s infrastructure - contributing jobs, economic regeneration and an element of sustainability.”
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