Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of industry support for continuing to link UK rail freight networks to European Rail Freight Corridors after Brexit; and what impact that would have on the level of rail freight traffic in the UK.

Rail freight plays an important role in supporting the UK’s future prosperity after we leave the EU, and our connections to the continent through the Channel Tunnel are vital.

Use of the North Sea – Mediterranean Corridor has been negligible in the UK, with only one path requested to date. Freight operating companies prefer to use access rights granted under national rules which offer greater certainty, with over 2,000 rail freight services running through the Channel Tunnel in 2017. To facilitate the continued smooth functioning and operation of cross-border rail services, the Government has agreed with the Article 50 Task Force that the UK will negotiate bilateral arrangements with France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, as well as the Republic of Ireland.