Tesco has launched the first of two new rail services, which together will save 10, 000 tonnes of CO2 and remove 40, 000 lorries from the road annually. The new service from Daventry to Thurrock will move 20 containers per day, within two weeks the service will be operating at full capacity moving 34 containers, six days per week. The second service will be added in November from Daventry to Magor, South Wales. “This new service is part of our ongoing commitment to be zero carbon by 2050, ” said Nigel Jones, Tesco UK Logistics Director: “Utilising rail services allows us to transport products across the country in the most sustainable way, taking thousands of lorries off the road each year and reducing our carbon emissions. In addition to transferring goods from our central depot to other points for distribution to the stores, the trains will also return to our depot with goods from our key suppliers making the service even more efficient.” Trains leaving from Daventry will transport products such as shampoo, deodorants, confectionary and wine. Trains returning to Daventry will be loaded with items such as washing powder, washing up liquid, and detergent from Proctor & Gamble. Currently Tesco operates two train services from Daventry to Livingston and Livingston to Inverness – these services have been in place for a number of years. 60% larger than the previous depot, Daventry has achieved a BREEAM excellent rating, has 1.5kms of rail track within the site and aims to eventually handle eight trains every day. The combined savings across all four rail services (new and current), will take 72, 000 journeys off the road, saving around 24, 000 tonnes of CO2 emissions per annum. This is the only dedicated train of this scale operated by a single retailer in the UK. The trains are branded in the familiar Tesco logo style reading “Less CO2 Rail”. Tesco is working with Stobart Rail and Direct Rail Services.
