BOSSES at Castle Cement in Clitheroe have decided to take some lorries off Ribble Valley roads in favour of delivering goods by rail.

Trains will now deliver the 200 tonnes a week of iron oxide to the company's Ribblesdale plant, saving at least 35 lorry shipments per month to the works.

Around once a month a 1,000 tonne train will transport iron oxide to the plant, in addition to the bulk shipments of coal which have been delivered to the Ribblesdale works since 1996.

The decision represents a further shift back to the railways by the company, which transferred all its loads from rail to road in 1993.

Ribblesdale works clinker manager Peter Parkes said: "We are delighted to be able to expand the use of rail at our works once again.

"By now taking both iron oxide and coal by train, we have managed to make a substantial reduction in the total number of lorry deliveries to the works.

"We will continue to assess the future transport needs and look for further opportunities to use rail, where it is viable to do so."

Ribble Valley Council chief Stewart Bailey described the decision as "very encouraging" and said it fitted in with the council's, and Lancashire County Council's policies on transport.

Dave Butterworth, the secretary of the Ribble Valley Rail user group said: "This is tremendous news for the line and is a result of the high powered marketing of the English, Welsh and Scottish railway company.

"It is a real boost and helps make the line more of a viable economic proposition.

"We look forward to seeing the delivery of outward goods, in the form of finished cement, also return to the rails."

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