News / Funding must be ring-fenced to keep UK rail freight sector on track

© Chris Warham

Rail freight funds must be safeguarded if the UK is to attract the private investment it needs to make the mode a success.

This was the view of Rail Freight Group executive director Maggie Simpson who gave evidence yesterday to the Parliamentary transport committee on rail infrastructure investment.

Ms Smith said retaining a fund for designated freight enhancement would side-step the politics accompanying the Department for Transport’s five-year investment rounds.

“While the DfT tries to assure the industry that these five-year terms will not make ...