Strategic rail freight interchange
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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.
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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]