Central defies £8.5bn line snub
13 April 2012
CENTRAL Railway, the company behind an £8.5bn scheme for a freight rail line linking the north-west of England with northern France, has pledged to press ahead with its plans despite being dealt a blow by the Government.
An essential element of the scheme was a Government-sponsored Bill enabling the company to build the track on disused rail lines. But Transport Minister Kim Howells has refused to support it.
Central Railway chairman Andrew Gritten said that despite the rebuff, he was confident of achieving private funding.
