GB Railfreight wins Royal Mail contract

The Royal Mail awarded a contract to carry about a million letters a day by rail today, following a successful trial.

GB Railfreight will provide two daily rail services between London and Scotland until next March, with an option of a 12 month extension.

Royal Mail said a trial earlier this year had been a success. The postal organisation used to transport about 13 million letters a day by rail but stopped using the railways last year.

Paul Tolhurst, network director for Royal Mail, said: “During the recent trial operation, GB Railfreight has demonstrated that it can offer Royal Mail a good quality rail service.

“GB Railfreight has also shown that it has the flexibility to meet our distribution needs at peak times, for example during the busy Christmas period when we handle up to 120 million items a day.

“It has also been able to offer additional services at short notice when the country experienced poor weather conditions.”

The agreement will see GB Railfreight running two trains a day between Willesden, Warrington and Shieldmuir in Scotland.

John Smith, GB Railfreight’s managing director, said: “We have had a really successful trial period, during which we have given Royal Mail the flexibility it needs from a rail operation.

“Our arrangement allows them to increase or reduce the number of services they run on a night-by-night basis and to put on specials at times of peak volumes, such as Christmas.

“We recognise that Royal Mail needs a multi modal distribution network that is robust, flexible and provides a high quality of service. We will work hard to make sure we remain part of that network by continuing to offer Royal Mail a flexible, reliable and commercially viable rail option.”