Following the publication of the Western Gateway Rail Freight Feasibility Study, stakeholders and members of the Western Gateway team recently visited SUEZ Recycling and Recovery UK’s site at Avonmouth to explore how rail freight operates on the ground. The visit offered a valuable opportunity to see the railhead and surrounding operations first-hand, and also the practicalities and potential of moving more freight by rail within the Western Gateway region.
A busy hub with room to grow
Located within the Avonmouth Port area, the SUEZ site plays a key role in recycling and waste management for the region. The facility has a rail connection already in place, linking directly to the wider national network. While the infrastructure is in good condition, it currently isn’t used to its full potential – presenting opportunities to increase rail freight movements in the future. At present, the majority of their rail freight is imported from West London due to the 25-year deal with West London authorities to handle household waste. This has the potential to be expanded to support other waste handling and reduce landfill dependency. During our walkaround, stakeholders saw how the site manages a mix of road and rail operations. Heavy goods vehicles are central to current activity, but the layout and location offer scope to rebalance transport modes.
Supporting a more sustainable future
SUEZ’s operations already contribute to a circular economy, turning waste into resources and helping reduce environmental impact. 400,000 tonnes of waste are processed at the site per year; generating enough energy to supply 70,000 households. Additionally, SUEZ is currently exploring carbon capture to reach the company and site net zero goals for 2050. Rail freight could potentially transport liquified carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from industrial emitters across the region to the site in Avonmouth for storage (carbon capture). Expanding the use of rail freight would build on this by lowering emissions further and supporting our ambition to make transport across the region greener and more efficient.
Working together for progress
The visit also underlined how important collaboration between businesses, local authorities, Network Rail, National Highways and the Port of Bristol will be to make the most of Avonmouth’s rail potential. By working together, partners can unlock investment, share infrastructure, and help demonstrate how existing industrial sites can be adapted to support low-carbon freight growth.
Looking ahead
Seeing the Avonmouth site in operation brought to life many of the themes identified in the published Rail Freight Study – showing how the region’s existing assets can support a cleaner, more connected freight network. The visit reinforced the message that rail freight has a key role to play in achieving the Western Gateway’s shared goals for sustainable economic growth and a net zero transport system
