Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what steps they will take to increase rail freight through the Channel Tunnel and support a more sustainable logistics network across the UK and Europe.

The Government is keen to see the growth of international rail freight, which supports the Government’s growth mission. DfT officials engage regularly with the sector to discuss the potential to increase the number of international freight flows through the Channel Tunnel.

While it is ultimately a commercial decision for industry as to whether to operate new services, the Government is engaging with the International rail freight sector to examine potential measures to facilitate cross channel rail freight. The Department also welcomes ORR’s recent decision to reduce HS1 access charges for freight as part of its control period determination, as well as Network Rail’s freight track access charge discount scheme, both of which will help to facilitate growth in international rail freight.