GB Railfreight (GBRf) has opened its state-of-the-art maintenance hub in Peterborough, located alongside the East Coast Mainline, for which the rail operator has invested BGP 5.75 million (EUR 6.6 million), representing one of the most substantial investments in the Britain’s rail freight sector this year.
The Secretary of State for Transport, Mark Harper, attended the opening ceremony alongside John Smith, the Chief Executive Officer of GB Railfreight. “This impressive new maintenance hub demonstrates the important role private sector investment plays in modernising the rail freight industry and helping grow the economy,” the Secretary of State for Transport, said.
The hub, which is larger than six-Olympic swimming pools was completed in just 10 months and brings back into use a derelict plot of land. The facility will be key to unlocking GBRf’s ambitious growth plans as it aims to run 80 intermodal services a day by 2025. The building has strong sustainability credentials as it is fully powered by electricity and has been designed to support electric shunt engines and forklifts to reduce carbon emissions.
By analysing four wagons per shift, the maintenance hub in Peterborough will be a strategic enabler that creates a step-change in maintenance for the rail freight industry. It will deliver significant safety and reliability improvements that will allow current and future customers to move an even wider range of goods by rail. As new smart-technologies emerge, the Hub will be a testbed that will allow GBRf to identify innovative solutions that will drive continual improvement.
The inauguration of the facility “demonstrates our commitment to continued investment and innovation in the rail network. The role of the private sector cannot be understated as a tool to help Britain drive jobs and growth in its regional economies and achieve its net zero targets. We are excited for the role we get to play in this important journey as we meet the demands of customers looking to decarbonise their supply chains,” John Smith, CEO of GB Railfreight, said.
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