Hundreds of HGVs will be removed from the roads following the completion of a rail freight terminal in Northampton.
Industrial developer Segro has completed a 35-acre strategic rail freight interchange at its multimodal logistics park next to junction 15 of the M1; Maritime Transport agreed terms to operate the terminal in June 2022.
It connects to the West Coast Mainline via the Northampton Loop Line and is expected to play an important role in shifting freight movements off the road and onto rail.
Segro senior director Kate Bedson said: “We’re excited to see real momentum at Segro Logistics Park Northampton, with the completion of the rail freight terminal infrastructure and strong progress on Yusen Logistics’ new facility – the first warehouse on the park to be constructed.
“Each freight train can remove up to 76 HGVs from the road with a consequential reduction in carbon emissions, making this a crucial step towards more sustainable logistics.
“With rail freight contributing £1.7bn to the economy, this milestone is not only a shot in the arm for growth, also it supports a greener, more efficient supply chain.”
Segro’s development has consent for five million sq ft of logistics and warehousing space and can accommodate units starting from 100,000 sq ft.
It is expected to create around 7,500 new jobs and will provide over 80 acres of parkland and amenity grassland, 18 km of footpaths, 20 km of hedgerows and 60,000 newly planted trees.
