GB Railfreight marks 10,000th delivery of biomass to Drax

Haulage operator GB Railfreight has completed the 10,000th delivery of its biomass train, from Liverpool to Drax Power Station in Selby, North Yorkshire.
The organisation said it has delivered over 15 million tonnes of biomass from Peel Ports, Liverpool and Drax Power Station since 2016.
According to Drax, the biomass brought by these 10,000 train journeys supports it to power up to 4 million homes and businesses.
Rail freight is instrumental in reducing emissions throughout UK supply chains, said GB Railfreight.
Goods moved by rail require 76% less carbon per tonne than road freight and each freight train can remove up to 129 HGV movements, helping decongest the road network, it said.
John Smith, chief executive of GB Railfreight, said: “We’re hugely proud of our partnership with Drax and Peel Ports. As we have seen in recent years, the UK’s long-term energy security is a key component of economic stability and national security.
“The 10,000 journeys we have made over the last eight years have supported Drax and the UK government to produce low carbon power for us all.
"This power has provided for families and businesses up and down the country, helping ensure that everybody’s needs are fulfilled – from keeping the central heating on in the winter to powering our electric vehicles.”
Mark Gibbens, head of logistics at Drax, said: “Drax Power Station’s supply chain partners play a critical role in helping us to keep the lights on for millions of homes and business in the UK no matter the weather. We have longstanding relationships with both GB Railfreight and Peel Ports and we are delighted to celebrate this incredible milestone with both of them.”
Jon Hassett, deputy port director, Peel Ports Mersey Cluster said: “Ports are central to powering the whole country in many ways. Our relationship with Drax and GB Railfreight is a perfect example of how we work with customers to improve our collective environmental performance.
"We’re proud to have invested £100m at our biomass terminal to make this happen and to see our port rail connections so well used.”