The leader of Blaby District Council has written to the new Secretary of State for Transport and the new deputy Prime Minister outlining major concerns with the proposed Hinckley National Rail Freight Interchange (HNRFI).
The 662-acre scheme from developers Tritax Symmetry is considered a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project and is due to be decided by the Secretary of State, Louise Haigh MP, following a recommendation by the Planning Inspectorate.
The plans feature a rail hub and 850,000sqm of warehousing on countryside southwest of Elmesthorpe between the M69 and Leicester to Birmingham train line.
Cllr Terry Richardson has congratulated both Ms Haigh and Angela Rayner on their recent appointments and urged them to ‘carefully consider the negative social, environmental and economic impacts of the HNRFI on the residents of Blaby District’.
He highlights particular concern with the failure to fully assess the scheme’s highways impacts. This, he warns, could overload the already hectic M1/M69 junction and actually hamper further economic growth.
Cllr Richardson said: “With a new Secretary of State and deputy PM in post I felt it was my duty to raise our concerns about the far-reaching adverse impacts the HNRFI scheme would have on our District.
“We have always opposed these ill-thought-out plans. The rail hub would destroy vast swathes of countryside and change the rural character of our District forever. We can only hope Ms Haigh takes our concerns on board when deciding the fate of this scheme.”
The facility will be capable of handling 16 trains per day when fully operational. At full capacity, the SRFI will remove more than 83 million HGV miles from the UK road network.
Maggie Simpson, director general, Rail Freight Group, said: “The development of a national network of strategic rail freight interchanges is paramount to ensuring the long-term future viability of the UK Government’s target to enhance modal shift of freight from road to rail. We are encouraged by Tritax and Maritime’s commitment to rail freight, and this display of support for the UK’s latest SRFI before the DCO decision is determined is extremely welcome for advancement of sustainable, rail-based logistics.”
A decision on the HNRFI scheme is expected by 12 September. For full details of the letters see: Hinckley National Rail Freight Interchange
