MP hits out as port grants announced (From The Northern Echo)

MP hits out as port grants announced

9:13am Tuesday 30th October 2007 in Support Our Port

AN MP hit out last night after the Government handed out £132m for rail improvements at ports, without a penny for Teesport.

Dr Ashok Kumar, the MP for Middlesborough South and East Cleveland, criticised the decision to fund schemes at four major ports, but not at the North-East's premier port.

The grants will increase the amount of freight carried by rail at Felixstowe (£80m), Southampton (£43m), the Humber (£8m) and Liverpool (£1.7m).

In total, the schemes will take about 300,000 lorry journeys off British roads every year, according to the Department for Transport (DfT).

But ministers are still not ready to fund an upgrade of the rail line between Teesport and the East Coast Main Line.

That scheme, which is crucial to £300m plans for a new container terminal, would allow larger sea containers to pass under bridges on the line.

The track also has the wrong gauge to carry modern cargos, which are typically 9ft 6in high, rather than 8ft 6in.

PD Ports, Teesport's owner, was disappointed late last year, when the DfT first refused funding, describing the scheme as "not sufficiently developed".

However, earlier this year, Rail Minister Tom Harris held talks with PD Ports, after a plea by Dr Kumar, who staged a Commons debate on the issue.

Last night, Dr Kumar said: "It is always good to see more investment going into getting heavy loads off the roads and onto rail.

"However, I am very disappointed that Teesport doesn't seem to figure in the equation yet, when the port is ready and willing to invest in new facilities. I will be continuing to beat the drum ceaselessly to see that money does come to Teesport to allow this exciting development to go ahead."

Up to 5,500 jobs rest on the plans to expand Teesport -known as the Northern Gateway scheme -which is backed by The Northern Echo's Support Our Port campaign.

It cleared a major hurdle last month when Hutchison Ports, which owns terminals in Felixstowe and Harwich, withdrew its objection.

A DfT spokesman said Network Rail and the Northern Way group were putting together a fresh strategy for the Teesport scheme, following its rejection last year.

He said: "We look forward to seeing the outcome of this work and there will be future rounds of funding they can apply for."

Last year, the Commons Transport Select Committee criticised the Government's "ports must pay" policy for preventing the movement of cargos by rail -forcing them onto congested roads.