The Scottish Government has allocated a Freight Facilities Grant worth £1.49 million to Tarmac. It will be used to expand rail operations at Tarmac’s Dunbar cement plant.
Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity Michael Matheson announced the funding at the Rail Freight Group’s Annual Scottish Conference 2020. He said: “This award is the first Freight Facilities Grant for rail for a number of years and will help ensure that rail remains the key mode of transport for much of Tarmac’s operations.
“The recently published National Transport Strategy sets out the Scottish Government’s vision for a sustainable, inclusive, safe and accessible transport system where our businesses make sustainable choices to support the reliable delivery of goods and services.
“That is why we are leading the way in support for rail freight with clear policy support, innovative regulatory targets to encourage growth and backing this with general investment and specific funding. Our dedicated £25 million Rail Freight Fund and our Mode Shift Grant support schemes, which include the Freight Facilities Grant, will help to unlock opportunities for rail freight across the country.”
The fund is open to companies looking to move freight by the more sustainable modes of rail or water instead of road.