UK multimodal centre to become reality thanks to EU funding - Main contents

Port Salford, the UK’s first distribution park served by inland waterway, road and rail, is to become a reality thanks to an EU contribution of almost €1 million up to December 2012. The financing is intended to support studies which will precede the eventual creation of a multimodal distribution park adjacent to the Manchester Ship Canal, the main Trans-Pennine railway line and the M60 motorway, thus improving interoperability on TEN-T Priority Project 26, the “Railway/Road axis-Ireland/United Kingdom/Continental Europe”.

The allocation of European Union funding for the package of studies will fast track the various construction phases of the overall development of the undertaking.

Specifically, four individual studies are planned:

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  A rail infrastructure study to estimate the costs and impact of constructing a new 1.27 km rail link up to the Manchester-Newton le Willows-Liverpool railway line and seven 775 m reception sidings
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  A wharf infrastructure study to estimate the costs and impact of constructing a new quay on the Manchester Ship Canal offering two new berths
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  A financial validation study to verify the costs of the overall Port Salford project to include review of demand and competition
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  A study to carry out initial preparation (including ground and surface investigations) to assess the costs associated with the design, building and operation of the terminal and its associated warehousing as well as for the rail and waterway improvement schemes

Once finalised, the Port Salford project will add to the competitiveness of local businesses by significantly reducing the costs of transporting containers to the Manchester City region. Additionally, around 2,000 people will be employed on the site.

For more information, please consult the project's page!