Cover Story Delivering the Future at Prologis RFI DIRFT
prologis-container
The performance of the UK logistics sector has been one of the more positive stories to come out of the past year, having demonstrated its crucial role in maintaining the flow of consumer goods at a time of significant disruption and heightened demand. Situated in the heart of the UK’s ‘golden triangle’ for logistics, Daventry Rail Freight Interchange (DIRFT for short) was at the centre of the national effort to keep essential goods flowing to homes and businesses: it’s also poised to play a key role in helping the UK build back better from the pandemic.
Developed by Prologis, DIRFT is the UK’s most important intermodal logistics park with three operational rail terminals (and a fourth, state-of- the art terminal under construction), alongside rail-served warehousing – which will provide 14 million sq ft of logistics space, once complete. Home to household names such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s
boohoo.com and Royal Mail, DIRFT enables occupiers to move goods quickly, sustainably and cost efficiently across the UK and has a range of flexible warehousing and leasing options available.
The right location Location is crucial for logistics and it’s important to ensure key logistics infrastructure is located in areas of the country that benefit from good access, close to major transport hubs. Situated in the logistics ‘golden triangle’, DIRFT is close to the M1 motorway and has a direct connection to the Northampton loop of the West Coast Main Line, providing rail access to the South East ports, and up the spine of the country to Scotland. Delivery drivers leaving DIRFT can reach 95 per cent of the country in under four-and-a-half hours, the maximum time they can legally drive without taking a break. Importantly, the site has been designed to act as a
4
regional hub for rail freight flows to and from the port of Felixstowe and the Channel Tunnel, which is a key part of the Trans-European Combined Freight Network.
On-track for the future Over the past decade, rail freight services using DIRFT’s terminals have increased steadily and today, the equivalent of over 200,000 containers arrive and leave the site every year. In addition to domestic services, the common user terminal operated by Malcolm Rail also handles European trains.
With a choice of three rail freight terminals, and a further terminal due for completion in September 2021, occupiers at DIRFT who want to build rail freight into their supply chain benefit from greater flexibility and competitive pricing. Additionally, DIRFT has a direct connection to the Northampton loop of the West Coast Main Line, providing rail access to the South East ports, and up the spine of the country to Scotland. Most importantly, the rail facilities at DIRFT come at no extra cost to occupiers, who only pay for the rail services they use.
Over the last two decades, rail freight has evolved. Once associated with the supply of coal to power stations and the delivery of aggregates for the construction industry, today’s freight trains are just as likely to be carrying oranges from Spain, whisky from Scotland, flatpack furniture from Sweden or automotive parts from Germany. Indeed, each year, rail freight transport goods worth about £30bn the length and breadth of the UK and plays a key role in helping companies build sustainable and resilient supply chains.
According to Department of Transport figures quoted within a recent report by the Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport (CILT), rail freight contributed just 0.3% to overall transport emissions in 2018 and 2019 with HGVs and vans contributing 17% and 16% respectively. Indeed, as every tonne carried by rail instead of road reduces carbon
COMMERCIAL PROPERTY MONTHLY 2021
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92
