New guide to moving freight by water

Using lessons from the Thames, Freight by Water seeks to promote greater use of inland waterways

LESSONS learned from moving freight on the river Thames form the basis of a new Freight by Water publication launched to coincide with the group’s conference on the PS Elizabethan last week.

Freight by Water – which is run by the Freight Transport Association (FTA) – hosted the event aboard the replica Mississippi paddle steamer to give delegates the latest information on water freight services in the Thames region and to outline the Association’s proposals to grow the sector.

The new publication was launched by its author, Alex Veitch, the FTA’s head of global policy, during the event.

‘Growing the UK inland water freight sector: lessons from the Thames’ looks at the policy and regulatory barriers that are impeding growth and offers the Thames as a case study for other waterways across the country.

The importance of safeguarding wharves from development is one of the key issues explored.

Alex Veitch said: ‘Inland water freight can make a significant contribution to alleviating road traffic congestion in London and other major cities across the UK, but there are many planning and regulatory barriers that prevent those moving freight from capitalizing on the benefits.

‘This publication seeks to use the Thames to illustrate how inland waterways could play an important role in the UK’s freight network and calls for the establishment of a national Strategic Water Network to facilitate a more co-ordinated approach to investment and planning.

‘Members of Freight by Water are keen to engage with industry partners and decision-makers to develop this concept and make it happen.’