Radlett strategic rail freight interchange
| Radlett strategic rail freight interchange | |
|---|---|
Interactive map of Radlett strategic rail freight interchange | |
| Location | |
| Country | England |
| Location | Radlett, Hertfordshire |
| Coordinates | 51°42′54″N 0°19′39″W / 51.7151°N 0.3276°W |
| Details | |
| Built | 2024 |
| Owned by | SEGRO |
| Land area | 3,570,010 square feet (331,665 m2) |
Radlett strategic rail freight interchange is future road/rail interchange north of the town of Radlett, in Hertfordshire, England. The site largely occupies land formerly used as Radlett Aerodrome, with the purchase of this land contested by local residents and the council as it was earmarked for recreational and housing purposes. It will be one of twenty so named strategic rail freight interchanges throughout the UK, and the first one to serve the London area.
History
In 2006, developer Helioslough put forward a plan for building a strategic rail freight interchange (SRFI) on the site of Radlett Aerodrome.[1] This was contested by St Albans City and District Council through various appeals, until planning permission for the site was awarded by the government in 2014 under the then Secretary of State for Communities, Eric Pickles. From 2014 then until 2020, St Albans City & District Council fought the approval process through appeals.[2] In 2023, SEGRO acquired a further 1,000 acres (400 ha) of land, at a cost of £120 million, to enable the plan to go ahead.[3] This land sale by Hertfordshire County Council was then subject to a legal challenge on the grounds that the land was purchased in 1985 as an open space.[4]
The plan from 2014 envisioned requisitioning a land area of 3,570,010 square feet (331,665 m2),[5] with a 24-hour operation and seven or more trains arriving at the interchange daily. The plan also claimed it would support 3,400 jobs.[6]
Initial work on access to the site started in October 2024, with the building of a 60-metre (200 ft), 6,000-tonne (6,600-ton) bridge, which will allow the railway spur from the Midland Main Line to access the freight park by travelling under the main railway lines.[7] When open, the SRFI will be the only one to serve the London area, and it will be one of twenty proposed SRFIs across Britain.[8]
See also
References
- ^ "Radlett rail depot: Government challenged over plans". BBC News. 22 August 2014. Retrieved 26 February 2025.
- ^ Jones, Ben (August 2020). "Council backs down in Radlett terminal battle". The Railway Magazine. Vol. 166, no. 1, 433. Horncastle: Mortons Media. p. 66. ISSN 0033-8923.
- ^ Pickering, Graeme (September 2023). "Land acquired for Herts freight interchange". The Railway Magazine. Vol. 169, no. 1, 471. Horncastle: Mortons Media. p. 88. ISSN 0033-8923.
- ^ "Radlett Aerodrome campaigners plan legal action against council". BBC News. 28 September 2023. Retrieved 26 February 2025.
- ^ "Radlett approval welcomed by freight industry after long wait". Rail Technology Magazine. 15 July 2014. Retrieved 26 February 2025.
- ^ Stevenson, David (1 September 2014). "Radlett SRFI depot row rolls on". Rail Technology Magazine. Retrieved 26 February 2025.
- ^ Johnson, Thomas (11 October 2024). "Construction begins on Radlett Strategic Rail Freight Interchange on Midland Main Line". New Civil Engineer. Retrieved 26 February 2025.
- ^ Longhorn, Danny (3 January 2025). "First construction milestone achieved at SEGRO Logistics Park Radlett". RailBusinessDaily. Retrieved 18 February 2026.