Strategic rail freight interchange
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
A strategic rail freight interchange, or SRFI, is one of several freight terminals in Great Britain where containers can be swapped between nodes of transport, but always involving the use of railway infrastructure. Various governments from across the political spectrum in Britain have supported, or do support, the transfer of freight from road to rail where possible. The SRFIs are intended to run bulk intermodal trains to a point as close as possible to the containers' final destination. SRFIs come under the guidance for a Nationally Significant Infrastructure Project.
Definition
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The Department for Transport 2009 definition of an SRFI was "A Strategic Rail Freight Interchange (SRFI) is a large multi-purpose rail freight interchange containing rail-connected warehousing and container handling facilities. The site may also contain manufacturing and processing activities."[1] Network Rail further clarified that the difference between a Rail Freight Interchange (RFI) and an SRFI, was that an RFI was usually a standalone intermodal terminal (such as Stourton Freightliner Terminal in Leeds), and that an SRFI would be "...[a] Distribution park in excess of 60 hectares (150 acres) with integrated intermodal terminal facilities."[2] An SRFI should also be able to handle at least four incoming trains per day (and have the ability to increase on that number), with train lengths up to 775 metres (2,543 ft), and the appropriate layout to accommodate the length of the trains with minimal shunting necessary.[3] The rail network itself should be capable of handling intermodal trains up to 775 metres (2,543 ft) and the government in 2009, stated that Freight Facilities Grants should be available to enhance infrastructure to accommodate these longer trains.[4] The site should also be connected to the trunk road system.[5]
The policy around SRFIs from the UK government is that the interchanges should be part of a network that provides cost-effective logistics.[6] Many of the existing or proposed SRFIs are in the East and West Midlands, with some being in and around Rugby in Warwickshire and the surrounding area which is known to the logistics industry as the Golden Triangle.[7][8] The Golden Triangle (or The Golden Logistics Triangle) was first used to describe warehousing in the Midlands area in the 1980s. The area has been determined by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) to cover and area of 289 square miles (750 km2), and be within four-hours driving distance of 90% of the British population.[9] The intermodal points within the Golden Triangle are geographically distant enough from the ports on the coast of Britain to be financially advantageous for rail transport.[10] The planning and policy for SRFIs is covered by a specific guidance for Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs).[11]
Operating terminals
The entries in the table below are operating or have planning permission and are under construction.
| Name | Location | Map | Coordinates[a] | Details | Operator | Railway connection | Road connection | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birch Coppice | Dordon | A | 52.591°N 1.632°W | The Birch Coppice branch re-opened in 2002 to handle car parts, with intermodal trains following soon after. | Maritime Transport | Birmingham to Nottingham line | A5/M42 | [12][13] |
| DIRFT I | Daventry | B | 52.347°N 1.166°W | Opened in 2007 | Malcolm Group | West Coast Main Line (Northampton loop) | M1 | [12][14][15] |
| DIRFT II | Daventry | B | 52.358°N 1.175°W | Opened in 2005 | Sainsbury's/Tesco | West Coast Main Line (Northampton loop) | M1 | [12][14][16] |
| DIRFT III | Daventry | B | 52.375°N 1.170°W | Prologis | West Coast Main Line (Northampton loop) | M1 | [12][14] | |
| Doncaster iPort | Doncaster | C | 53.480°N 1.109°W | Opened in 2018 and covers 800 acres (320 ha) | Medlog | South Yorkshire Joint Railway (to East Coast Main Line) | M18 | [12][17] |
| East Midlands Gateway | Castle Donington | D | 52.840°N 1.300°W | Opened in March 2020, located close to East Midlands Airport | SEGRO | Castle Donington line | M1 | [12][18] |
| Hams Hall | Lea Marston | E | 52.517°N 1.703°W | Hams Hall was opened in 1997 on the site of an old power station. | Maritime Transport | Birmingham–Peterborough line | M42/M6 | [12][19] |
| Mossend Eurocentral | East Glasgow | F | 55.826°N 4.001°W | Opened in 1994, the site has access to the A8, M8, and is 10 minutes from the M74 and M73 | DB Cargo | West Coast Main Line | M8 | [12][20] |
| Mossend International | East Glasgow | G | 55.826°N 4.001°W | PD Stirling | West Coast Main Line | M8 | [12] | |
| Northampton Gateway | Northampton | H | 52.183°N 0.913°W | Opened in summer 2025 | Maritime Transport | West Coast Main Line (Northampton loop) | M1 | [12][21][22] |
| Wakefield Europort | Normanton | J | 53.713°N 1.407°W | January 1996 | Maritime Transport | Hallam Line | M62 | [12][23] |
- Coordinates centred on the railway sidings
In progress terminals
| Name | Location | Map | Coordinates[a] | Details | Operator | Railway connection | Road connection | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Radlett | Radlett, Hertfordshire | I | 51.715°N 0.327°W | Under construction | SEGRO | Midland Main Line | M25 | [12][24][25] |
| West Midlands Interchange | Four Ashes | K | 52.685°N 2.121°W | The development will cover over 300 hectares (740 acres) and has been described as a "nationally significant project". | Maritime Transport | Rugby–Birmingham–Stafford line | M6 | [12][26][27][28] |
- Coordinates as per application documents
Proposed terminals
The entries in the table below are proposed, and are either awaiting planning permission, or are subject to inquiries.
| Name | Location | Map | Coordinates[a] | Details | Size[b] | Operator | Railway connection | Road connection | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| East Midlands Intermodal Park | Willington | L | 52.864°N 1.587°W | Goodman | Crewe–Derby line | A38/A50 | [12][29] | ||
| Gascoigne Interchange | Sherburn-in-Elmet | M | 53.778°N 1.209°W | Built on the former coal disposal point at Gascoigne Wood | Harworth | Leeds to Hull line | A63/A1(M) | [12][30] | |
| Oxfordshire Strategic Rail Freight Interchange (OXSRFI) | Ardley | N | 51.931°N 1.221°W | Application is expected to be submitted in November 2025 | 60 hectares (6,500,000 ft2) | Oxfordshire Railfreight Limited | Cherwell Valley Line | M40 | [12][31] |
| Parkside East | Newton-le-Willows | O | 53.448°N 2.602°W | To be built on land opposite the former Parkside Colliery | 64.55 hectares (159.5 acres) | Intermodal Logistics Park North | West Coast Main Line, Chat Moss Line | M6 and M62 | [12][32][33] |
| Port Salford | Salford | P | 53.463°N 2.388°W | Proposed as the first trimodal SRFI in the UK, with direct trans-shipment between road, rail, and ship. | 150,000 square metres (1,600,000 ft2) | Peel Ports | West Coast Main Line, Chat Moss Line | M60 | [12][34][35] |