Freight on the midland canals!

THE transport body Midlands Connect believes the Black Country canals could be used to transport freight!

This is its latest new freight strategy that the narrow canals across the Black Country and Birmingham will be used to transport more goods under a revolutionary new freight strategy, Gavin reports.

Move greater quantities of goods

The people at Midlands Connect tell the use of canals to move greater quantities of goods must be 'considered' if the region is to decarbonise freight and free up the roads.

Quoting that Birmingham has 35 miles of canals—which is said to be more than Venice—but in the UK only around 13% of goods are shipped by sea and inland waterways. [Difficult to understand—Editor.]

The plans are set to be revealed in a new freight strategy report by the regional transport body, with it suggesting moving freight transport to 'more sustainable modes' where practicable.

More sustainable

It is stated that transport modes such as water freight and rail freight are more sustainable and emit less per tonne carried, particularly carbon dioxide.

Commenting on the report, Richard Bradley, Midlands Connect’s head of strategy, explains:

"We are evolving the way goods are transferred around the region and the country.

"This isn't about taking a step back in history but using all the infrastructure we have and finding new ways and new plans to use everything we have with our aim to get more freight off roads, where traffic pollution is known to cause severe health problems in built-up areas, and canals could be a cleaner and greener way to deliver goods from A to B."

On our ill maintained, undredged and often closed narrow canals of today? Another crackpot scheme that will soon be dropped when those at Midlands Connect see the reality!