Representation by Rich Hayne
- Date submitted
- 20 June 2023
- Submitted by
- Members of the public/businesses
Do we have to have it because it’s government policy? No - Government policy is to build a national network of strategic rail freight interchanges (SRFls) BUT the regulations stipulate that they should be built CLOSE TO THE MARKET THEY ARE INTENDED TO SERVE. There’s a significant overlap of existing rfis which proves the hnrfi is surplus to requirements. Isn’t it better for the environment to take freight by rail rather than by road? Yes - but only when the freight hub is situated close to the market it is intended to serve. (A recent Government Examiner suggested 15km [Examination on West Midlands Interchange 5.3.67]), otherwise the lengthy road trip outweighs the environmental benefits of the rail journey. Wouldn’t it be useful to have the extra slip roads on the m69 jct2? This is a double-edged sword. If Tritax open the slip roads, they will put an additional 10,000 HGV and 8,400 worker movements a day onto the M69 and local infrastructure.Both are already over capacity. How do we stop hgv and construction traffic from travelling directly through Hinckley and it’s b roads? It is impossible to enforce this. The M69 is already over capacity. There are long tailbacks from junction 21 every day. How will it cope with 10,000 HGVs and 8,400 worker movements every day? There will also be the construction traffic for the first 10 years. This questions I raised directly with Tritax at the town hall meeting I attended. They said measures are available to stop the traffic travelling through Hinckley, but not yet being considered! Although Tritax say HNRFI will be a low carbon development, they have made no attempt to reduce emissions from HGVs or diesel trains, which will have a massive effect on local residents and families using Burbage Common. Tritax envisage an additional 2 trains every hour and 10,000 HGVs a day.