The Birth of DIRFT: Connecting the Heart of England to Europe

 

A Brief History

In 1988, as Kylie Minogue and Cliff Richard dominated the music scene, a significant milestone in global rail history was taking shape: the construction of the Channel Tunnel began.

 

This project stemmed from a 1981 commitment by French President François Mitterrand and British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to evaluate a privately funded, single-track proposal. The concept quickly evolved into a twin tunnel for conventional trains and a shuttle service for cars and trucks.

 

The Vision of Crossroads UK

As the Channel Tunnel construction commenced, Portfutures began identifying a suitable location in central UK for an International Rail Freight Terminal. Their goal was to connect the heart of England to the heart of Europe - a project that would become known as Crossroads UK.

 

Daventry was chosen as the ideal site, where the West Coast Main Line (WCML), M1 motorway, and A5 trunk road intersect. Thus, the Daventry International Rail Freight Terminal (DIRFT) was conceived.

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DIRFT: From Concept to Reality

DIRFT opened in 1997 with 44,100 sq m of warehousing, including 20,000 sq m of rail-connected facilities. Today, it has grown to over 900,000 sq m of warehousing and incorporates the new sustainable community of Houlton, comprising 6,000 new homes.

 

Key Facts:

• UK's premier logistics park

• Creates over 15,000 direct jobs

• Supports 30,000 supply chain jobs

• Generates 20,000 construction and related jobs

• Contributes millions of pounds in business rates

• Has made its district recession-proof with consistently low unemployment

 

DIRFT was the first bi-modal terminal connected to the Channel Tunnel and now serves as a regional node for freight flows from East Coast ports and the Channel Tunnel. It forms an integral part of the Trans-European Combined Transport Network.

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The Birth of Abbcott Developments Limited

On 20 October 1988, Abbcott Developments Limited was incorporated to assemble land, raise capital, and secure permissions for the DIRFT concept. As this was a pioneering project in the UK, a set of International Rail Freight Terminal Delivery Principles was established:

1. Land: A strategic, prime location is essential.

2. Collaborative Process: Secure political champions, including the UK Minister of Transport, European Transport Commissioner, and local MP.

3. Public and Private Sector Partnering: Engage key stakeholders like Eurotunnel, Railtrack, and the Highways Agency.

4. Funding: Ensure the project is 'bankable' with minimal public sector funding.

5. Planning Policy: Comply with and shape policy frameworks.

6. Media Engagement: High-profile support, such as the Princess Royal opening DIRFT.

 

Exporting Success: Portfutures Africa 

Following a UK Ministerial trade visit to South Africa, the idea to export the DIRFT delivery concept led to the creation of Portfutures Africa on 16 July 2002.

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Over the next four years, with support from the UK's Department for International Development, Portfutures Africa began identifying strategic locations for international rail freight terminals in SADC. They also assisted with numerous regional diagnostic studies.

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The City Deep Project

In 2006, Portfutures Africa signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the then Spoornet to create a network of intermodal and multimodal freight terminals across South Africa. City Deep emerged as a key focus for early delivery on the Transnet network.

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After a review in November 2020, Portfutures Africa concluded partnering arrangements for the City Deep project, culminating in an unsolicited bid to Transnet in January 2022.

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The Vision for City Deep:

• 68-hectare bi-modal rail terminal

• 1m sq m of rail-connected warehousing

• 13,700 direct jobs

• Capital value of R13.7 billion

• Catalyst for FDI of R7.5 billion

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The Future of Rail in Africa

The SADC Vision 2050 and comments from the then South African Minister for Public Enterprises, Pravin Gordhan, highlights the need for significant investment in rail infrastructure and increased efficiency in transport and ports.

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Portfutures Africa and its partners aim to assist in meeting these market requirements by proposing innovative solutions, such as leasing land from Transnet to create valuable rail-connected warehouses.

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Rail must become the economic central nervous system of the African economy. For this vision to flourish, projects like City Deep need high-level political support, with state entities not just meeting market requirements but exceeding them. This approach will give the rail, logistics, and industrial development markets the space they need to grow and thrive.