FROM TRUCKS TO TRAINS: Haven Gateway secures £3m of European funding for ‘green’ transport project

THE Haven Gateway has secured nearly £3 million of European funding as part of a £7.5m project designed to shift about 30,000 containers off the roads and on to rail transport, it was announced today (Tuesday 26 July).

The three-year Low Carbon Freight Dividend project will support more than 300 SMEs (small and medium enterprises) in making important changes in the way they transport freight – with significant environmental benefits.

SMEs in the East of England will be offered a Low Carbon Freight Dividend (grant) of up to 30%, for moving their freight from truck to train, where traditionally they have used only road transport.

The European funding was announced by Communities and Local Government Minister Bob Neill in his keynote speech at the Haven Gateway’s Annual Reception today (Tuesday 26 July). Responsibility for the delivery of the ERDF was transferred to the Department for Communities and Local Government from the beginning of this month (July 2011).

Bob Neill confirmed that the European Regional Development Fund will contribute £2,998,931 towards the project, which is expected to remove at least 11.7 million kgs of carbon dioxide from the logistics supply chain: 7.3 million kgs in the East of England, and 4.4 million kgs in the rest of the UK. The associated environmental benefits, using Defra calculations, would be nearly £3.5 million.

“We are absolutely delighted at the announcement of the ERDF funding,” said Haven Gateway Project Director Richard Morton. “The carbon reduction achieved through this project will be significant within the East of England and, by taking freight off the roads, the project will deliver direct economic benefits to the region.”

A key part of the project will be the Containerised Cargo Carbon Calculator, an online tool developed by the Haven Gateway as a partner within Dryport, an EU Interreg IVB North Sea Region project.

The Carbon Calculator (www.ccccalculator.co.uk) offers a user-friendly website where logistics operators can compare and contrast cargo movement methods (road, rail and water) and the carbon emissions for each method, or combination of methods, as they plan their transport to and from the East of England ports. The tool also measures the cost implications of each mode, such as congestion, and puts a financial value against it.

As well as offering the dividend of up to 30%, the Low Carbon Freight Dividend project will feature six ‘Optimisation of Freight Movements’ workshops, to be held across the East of England. This series of seminars will provide advice, guidance and practical examples of how to reduce carbon emissions in the movement of freight, including areas such as loading techniques, better driving techniques, and fuel efficiency.

In addition, the project will include a Low Carbon Transport Marketing Package for SMEs; enabling SMEs to market their services as carbon friendly and thus attract new customers.”

The European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) is a €308 billion programme of European Structural Funds across European Union member states for the period 2007-13.

The East of England’s allocation is approximately £83 million, which is to be invested in the region under the EU Competitiveness and Employment objective. The ERDF programme for the East of England will support low carbon economic growth until 2013.

The total value of the Low Carbon Freight Dividend project is nearly £7.5 million; the ERDF contribution is 40%.