NEWS RELEASE - Tuesday 1st July 2003

Royal Mail withdrawal from rail freight: "short-sighted and environmentally irresponsible"

TRANSform Scotland, the national environmental transport group, has today (Tuesday 1st July) written to Royal Mail Chief Executive Adam Crozier asking the Royal Mail to expand its rail freight operations in Scotland - not cut its rail freight services as is currently proposed.

David Spaven, Chair of TRANSform Scotland, said:
"We are dismayed at Royal Mail's short-sighted and environmentally irresponsible decision to abandon rail freight. At a time when an increasing number of premium logistics companies, express freight carriers and leading road hauliers are turning to rail as an alternative to increasing road costs and congestion, we find it astonishing that a public sector company should be concentrating its logistics business on the two most polluting forms of transport Ð air and road."

TRANSform Scotland has pointed out to the Royal Mail that its decision to abandon rail freight compares poorly with its competitor, Securicor Omega Express, which has expanded its rail freight operations in Scotland.

David Spaven, Chair of TRANSform Scotland, said:
"The Royal Mail should not just retain mail on rail to its existing Scottish railheads in Edinburgh and Wishaw, but should also consider extending the network to Aberdeen where its rail haulier EWS already runs a successful high-speed parcel train service for its competitor Securicor Omega Express."

ENDS

Notes to Editors:

(1) For further information see 'Save Mail on Rail' campaign - http://www.savemailonrail.org.uk/