Rail Minister Claire Perry believes rail freight could serve city centre stations during the off-peak.

She made the suggestion when discussing a sustainable railway, and suggested it is an effective way to beat the road market.

Speaking on May 18 at an Industry Day held in London, Perry said: “I believe there’s a real opportunity for rail freight to contribute to sustainability, too. One of the greatest challenges of our age is the emission of particulate matter from vehicles. This is not just a problem for future generations or far-away places. Particulates are here now, on our streets, already shortening lives. And one of the key contributors is road freight and the need to bring goods from out-of-town distribution centres into city centres."

  • For more on this, read RAIL 802, published on June 8.