RAIL freight bosses are drawing up plans to take off the roads goods which pass through East Lancs.

English, Welsh and Scottish Railways say they have already held talks with companies in Lancashire with a view to opening new freight terminals in the county.

And they say their plan to triple the amount of goods traffic on railways over the next ten years will affect East Lancs as much as any other part of the country. The amount of freight on railways has hit the headlines after Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott's announcement that he wants to see less congestion on the roads.

Mr Prescott trebled rail freight grants and promised that one of the roles of a new Strategic Rail Authority would be to oversee the increased amount of goods traffic on Britain's railways.

English, Welsh and Scottish Railways spokesman Andy Saunders said: "Most of the freight services which pass through Lancashire are on the west coast main line through Wigan, Preston and Lancaster.

"There is a certain amount of freight in East Lancashire but no major freight routes.

"Certainly, it would be fair to say we would be looking to increase the use of railway lines in East Lancashire for freight in line with the rest of the country.

"We have held negotiations with a view to opening new railfreight terminals in the North West.

"But at this stage, negotiations are all that have taken place. There are no detailed plans."

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