U.K.’s Port of Blyth railway gets green light

U.K.’s Port of Blyth railway gets green light    The United Kingdom’s Department for Transport Monday released the Order Decision Letter authorizing construction of a dockside railway at the Port of Blyth located on the northeast coast of England.
   The 1,100-meter railway is part of a '7.8 million ($14.5 million) upgrade of the port’s main bulk terminal, Battleship Wharf, and is expected to significantly reduce the volume of bulk traffic by road to and from the port.
   The Blyth Harbor Commissioners estimated that the railway would eliminate the need for 640 vehicle movements each day on roads to cope with the 2.5 million tons of coal that the terminal can store.
   “The Secretary of State considers that linking this terminal to the rail network would be consistent with the government’s wish to see the rail industry increase its share of the freight market,” the U.K. government department said in the letter to the Blyth Harbor Commissioners.
   “He is satisfied that the proposed works would not have any significant adverse effects on the environment. Moreover, he considers that providing rail access to Battleship Wharf would mean that the likely adverse environmental effects of transporting such volumes of bulk freight by road could be significantly reduced or avoided altogether. The Secretary of State is also satisfied that your clients have the capacity to fulfill their obligations under the order.”