{"id":186368,"date":"2025-03-14T20:26:06","date_gmt":"2025-03-14T10:26:06","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.railfreight.com\/?p=60714"},"modified":"2025-03-14T20:26:06","modified_gmt":"2025-03-14T10:26:06","slug":"the-jewel-in-our-crown-cricklewood-becomes-the-uks-first-net-zero-rail-freight-terminal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vibewire.com.au\/?p=186368","title":{"rendered":"\u201cThe jewel in our crown\u201d. Cricklewood becomes the UK\u2019s first net zero rail freight terminal"},"content":{"rendered":"

Until recently, 2018 to be precise, the 4,58 hectare plot off the A5 Edgware Road in North London housed light industrial units. Fast forward a couple of years, and a major transformation has taken place. The site is now a pioneer of environmentally friendly business, being the host of the UK\u2019s first net zero-emission terminal.<\/strong>
\n<\/span>The Cricklewood rail freight terminal belongs to DB Cargo\u2019s UK branch. It enables the transport of aggregates and waste construction material in and out of the capital, significantly reducing congestion on London\u2019s already crowded road network, DB says. The company\u2019s trains carry the equivalent of 129 heavy goods vehicles and reduce emissions by 76 per cent.<\/p>\n

However, the story of modal shift decarbonisation and decongestion is already a well-known one. \u201cFor years now we have talked about the environmental benefits of transporting freight by rail rather than road, however, we can make an even bigger contribution towards helping the UK meet its carbon reduction targets by the way we operate our sites,\u201d DB Cargo UK\u2019s sustainability manager Stacie Scullion commented.<\/p>\n

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Using the alternative fuel HVO is part of DB Cargo’s decarbonisation measures at Cricklewood. Image: \u00a9 DB Cargo UK<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Good for the environment and nearby residents<\/h2>\n

And thus, the company set about making its Cricklewood terminal more environmentally friendly. \u201cAt Cricklewood we\u2019ve tried to incorporate as much mitigation as we possibly can into our operations, which not only has an environmental benefit, but a significant social value too in terms of improving the quality of life for those residents who live nearby\u2019, Scullion explained.<\/p>\n

Cricklewood now has a green acoustic barrier with native foliage to reduce noise pollution. It welcomes regular avian visitors, has its own irrigation system and, DB says, provides a natural carbon sink for the location. The company has also allowed nature to reclaim space on unused land.<\/p>\n

DB Cargo UK published a video showing Cricklewood’s acoustic barrier:<\/p>\n