We’ve used our specialist rail freight and logistics expertise to help customers achieve efficiencies by consolidating materials into mixed loads.

DRS was providing services from Berkeley Railhead to transport spent fuel and Intermediate Level Waste. Because of insurance liability and waste categorisation factors, materials from the two clients could not be transported in the same shipment.

This meant that the potential time and cost efficiencies offered by rail could not be accessed and that road transport, an option less favoured by stakeholders, was the only alternative. All of which resulted in a higher burden to the taxpayer.

To address this challenge, we worked closely with the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, Sellafield Ltd, the UK Government and a number of other parties to develop a solution that enabled mixed loads to be transported by rail. Following a successful trial, these joint train movements are delivering improved efficiency and reduced costs.

The benefits of transporting such packages by rail are far reaching:

• It is safer as the need to use roads as an alternative are greatly reduced
• If there are fewer lorries on the road, this is safer for other road users and better for the environment
• Significant cost reduction: Consolidating materials at Sellafield rather than storing at sites across the UK, allows for the downgrading of security requirements across the whole nuclear estate.