Yet another example of a government that knows the cost of everything and the value of nowt:-
http://www.heraldscotland.com/business/ ... -1.1078764
What on earth is wrong with these people, in the grand scheme of things, £7M is nothing; about what a single dodgy banker will earn in bonus this year, and yet it could transform the railfreight business north of the border and the lives of those people who have 10,000 trucks passing their house every year.
Rail Freight Grants
Moderators: 52D, Tom F, Rlangham, Atlantic 3279, Blink Bonny, Saint Johnstoun, richard
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60041
- GCR O4 2-8-0 'ROD'
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Re: Rail Freight Grants
An interesting debate in the Scottish Parliament published today;
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2 ... spx?r=5984
http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2 ... spx?r=5984
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65447
- LNER A4 4-6-2 'Streak'
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Re: Rail Freight Grants
1. I think that you should have made it very clear that it's the Scottish Parliament threatening Scottish businesses, not the UK Government;
2. I'd be surprised if any bankers in Scotland are getting that size of bonus, so a meaningless comparison (and if a banker was 'dodgy' as you intimate then (a) they would probably be trousering a lot more, and (b) none of it would go anywhere near HMRC);
3. And why on earth should we be transporting water all over the country (except in emergencies, such as to Northern Ireland) when we already pay a fortune for perfectly potable purified tap water?
On reflection, the real questions here are really:
Why does it cost such ridiculous sums to get connected to the rail network (in fact why does any infrastructure project cost so much these days(?
Why did the old EWS in Scotland, and possibly DB Schenker now, charge so much for haulage that it was unaffordable for most businesses bulk loads?
Why should the Scottish Parliament continuing paying out vast subsidies and grants? For example, significant amount of the money doled out by the various Enterprise boards went into businesses that failed within a short space of time, or operations that were moved out of the country as soon as legally possible, thus avoiding repaying grant monies.
2. I'd be surprised if any bankers in Scotland are getting that size of bonus, so a meaningless comparison (and if a banker was 'dodgy' as you intimate then (a) they would probably be trousering a lot more, and (b) none of it would go anywhere near HMRC);
3. And why on earth should we be transporting water all over the country (except in emergencies, such as to Northern Ireland) when we already pay a fortune for perfectly potable purified tap water?
On reflection, the real questions here are really:
Why does it cost such ridiculous sums to get connected to the rail network (in fact why does any infrastructure project cost so much these days(?
Why did the old EWS in Scotland, and possibly DB Schenker now, charge so much for haulage that it was unaffordable for most businesses bulk loads?
Why should the Scottish Parliament continuing paying out vast subsidies and grants? For example, significant amount of the money doled out by the various Enterprise boards went into businesses that failed within a short space of time, or operations that were moved out of the country as soon as legally possible, thus avoiding repaying grant monies.
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60041
- GCR O4 2-8-0 'ROD'
- Posts: 559
- Joined: Mon Jun 25, 2007 8:36 pm
- Location: 20 feet from the ECML, 52D, Northumberland
Re: Rail Freight Grants
Common sense has prevailed at last:-
http://www.railpro.co.uk/news/?idArticles=703
http://www.railpro.co.uk/news/?idArticles=703
Re: Rail Freight Grants
I know a lot of effort went into getting the Scottish Government to change its mind on Freight Facilities Grants. It is nice to be see the parliament working as it should and getting Ministers to change their minds. So credit please to those how are trying to promote modern rail freight and who did a great behind the scenes job .
The amount for 2011/2 is £2m, but there are a number of interesting projects that could benefit, and as a result a lot more lorries could be removed from our roads, with traffic passing by rail or sea.
I would not claim 100% success, but most of the "failures" never got to the stage of taking the grant, so no waste of public funds there. Others are delivering the benefits such as Tescos to Inverness, or oil to Fort William and Lairg and Asda and Malcolms Grangemouth- Aberdeen. They would not have converted to rail without the grant funding as the economics do not stack up.
As an aside gauge clearance for 9'6" boxes from So'ton to Birmingham has happened and Peterborough - Felixstow is very close, so lots more big boxes will start moving out of Felixstowe and Southampton soon.
Direct descendants of the old fast fitted freights
The amount for 2011/2 is £2m, but there are a number of interesting projects that could benefit, and as a result a lot more lorries could be removed from our roads, with traffic passing by rail or sea.
I would not claim 100% success, but most of the "failures" never got to the stage of taking the grant, so no waste of public funds there. Others are delivering the benefits such as Tescos to Inverness, or oil to Fort William and Lairg and Asda and Malcolms Grangemouth- Aberdeen. They would not have converted to rail without the grant funding as the economics do not stack up.
As an aside gauge clearance for 9'6" boxes from So'ton to Birmingham has happened and Peterborough - Felixstow is very close, so lots more big boxes will start moving out of Felixstowe and Southampton soon.
Direct descendants of the old fast fitted freights
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60041
- GCR O4 2-8-0 'ROD'
- Posts: 559
- Joined: Mon Jun 25, 2007 8:36 pm
- Location: 20 feet from the ECML, 52D, Northumberland
Re: Rail Freight Grants
The Berne Gauge Great Central Main Line would have come into it's own now carrying those containers. Oh the wisdom and fore sightedness of the politicians!cambois wrote: As an aside gauge clearance for 9'6" boxes from So'ton to Birmingham has happened and Peterborough - Felixstow is very close, so lots more big boxes will start moving out of Felixstowe and Southampton soon.
Direct descendants of the old fast fitted freights
Re: Rail Freight Grants
I have often thought that...60041 wrote:The Berne Gauge Great Central Main Line would have come into it's own now carrying those containers. Oh the wisdom and fore sightedness of the politicians!cambois wrote: As an aside gauge clearance for 9'6" boxes from So'ton to Birmingham has happened and Peterborough - Felixstow is very close, so lots more big boxes will start moving out of Felixstowe and Southampton soon.
Direct descendants of the old fast fitted freights
don't forget about the Great Eastern Railway
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65447
- LNER A4 4-6-2 'Streak'
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Re: Rail Freight Grants
Out of curiosity, did 'Alcan' (as they then were) get a grant for sending the aluminium ingots by rail again (from around 2006)? I agree wholeheartedly that the truck convoy heading south from the Fort was a real PITA for other users of the A82.cambois wrote:I would not claim 100% success, but most of the "failures" never got to the stage of taking the grant, so no waste of public funds there. Others are delivering the benefits such as Tescos to Inverness, or oil to Fort William and Lairg and Asda and Malcolms Grangemouth- Aberdeen. They would not have converted to rail without the grant funding as the economics do not stack up.
On the question of economics, the driver who prepared the Alcan train did around 1-2 hours work for a whole shift's pay - great for him, not for the customer. Was the loco charged the same way I wonder? It was I believe a 'spare' turn during the day, using the loco that hauled the Caley Sleeper FW portion.