Minister David Jamieson announces grant to Goole barge company
News Release (YH/072/05) issued by the Government News Network on 3 March 2005
Transport Minister David Jamieson today announced the award of a £351,829 grant to a Goole-based barge company (East Yorkshire) to enable it to transport more goods by water rather than by road.
Branford Barge Owners (BBO), one of the oldest barge operating businesses in the UK, will receive a Freight Facilities Grant so that it can refurbish two currently laid up and inoperable barges, the 'Fossdale'' and the 'Farndale'.
Mr Jamieson said:
"The Government is determined to increase the use of inland canals and waterways as an environmentally-friendly alternative to road-based transport. By supporting Branford Barge Owners, we are aiming to reduce the need for HGV journeys, thus helping to ease congestion and noise pollution on the local road network.''
BBO operates mainly in the Humber Estuary, the Rivers Trent and Ouse and the Aire and Calder Navigation carrying cargo on behalf of Lafarge Aggregates Ltd who supply UK building and construction companies.
Fossdale and Farndale will be used to carry an additional 50,000 tonnes of aggregate per annum from Lafarge's Besthorpe quarry in North Lincs to Whitwood Wharf in Wakefield. The refurbished barges will save around 80 lorry journeys per week, or, 20,000 in total over the five year grant commitment period.
Project Manager of Lafarge Aggregates Ltd Roger Dodman said:
"I am extremely pleased that this grant application has been successful. I have been very happy to work on this application as I believe the conversion of the Fossdale and Farndale will be a tremendous long-term benefit to BBO, to Lafarge and more importantly to the environment. I look forward to seeing the Fossdale and Farndale carrying their first cargo.''
John Branford, Owner of BBO said:
"BBO would like to thank everyone involved in obtaining this grant. The company embarked upon this venture over two years ago by purchasing two out of service tankers the Fossdale and Farndale. I am now delighted with this award towards the cost of conversion enabling this project to proceed. The converted 500-tonne capacity aggregate barges will ease congestion on the roads considerably. The company is looking forward to moving thousands of tonnes via our waterways each year for many years to come."
More information
- Freight Facilities Grant (FFG) are made under section 272 of the Transport Act 2000. They are available to encourage the use of waterways for freight transport and are designed to tip the balance in favour of using waterways where it would otherwise be more expensive to use than the road option. FFG is designed to help pay for the capital costs of freight handling facilities used exclusively for water transport.
- The grants are administered by the Water Freight Branch of the Department for Transport, the Scottish Executive Development Department and the Welsh Assembly Government.
- Branford Barge Owners started trading in 1830.
- Lafarge Aggregates Ltd received a Freight Facilities Grant in 2000 to help develop a barge-loading wharf at Besthorpe and a discharge and storage facility at Whitwood.
- The news release was issued on behalf of the Department for Transport by the Government News Network Yorkshire and the Humber.
- Press officer Sheila Perry, Tel 0113 283 6596, email sheila.perry@gnn.gsi.gov.uk, web site for Government News Network Yorkshire and the Humber
www.gnn.gov.uk/content/default.asp?NewsAreaID=2&LocaleID=6
