The recently appointed Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Transport Claire Perry visited Associated British Ports’ (ABP) Port of Immingham recently, where she discussed plans to strengthen existing rail infrastructure at the facility dubbed ‘the King’s Cross of rail freight’.
The minister toured the port as part of a visit organized by local Government officials including a number of Humber MPs keen to promote Immingham’s importance to the economic life of the region and to the UK as a whole.
Ms Perry, who is currently the MP for Devizes, was appointed in July and has responsibility for rail franchising, commercial activity and fares, major rail projects, freight and logistics, transport agencies, as well as corporate regulation.
The Minister was shown around the Port and visited Immingham’s flagship Humber International Terminal (HIT), which handled around 20 million tonnes of coal last year. Via the Immingham Renewable Fuels Terminal (IRFT), HIT will soon move three million tonnes of biomass each year, for Drax Power Ltd.
All of these cargoes are transported to their final destination via the rail freight network and investment is needed to improve rail infrastructure on the port estate in order to accommodate further growth in dry bulk cargoes.
The port handles more than 25% of all UK rail freight.
[mappress mapid=”18977″]
Press Release