Mode Shift Grant details to Montrose Port Authority: FOI release

FOI reference: FOI/18/01620
Date received: 11 June 2018
Date responded: 9 July 2018

Information requested

Information relating to a Ports Mode Shift Grant from the Scottish Government to Montrose Port Authority:

1. What is the nature of the cargo you are aiming to be effected by the modal shift?

2. What is the current method of transport for the cargo referred to in question 1 above?

3. How is it intended that the grant provided to the Port of Montrose will achieve modal shift?

4. What is the proposed method of transportation of cargo following the modal shift?

Response

1. The nature of the cargo affected is various bulk commodities including combinable crops, fertiliser, animal feed, cement, chain, composite pipes, fuel oil and waste wood.

2. The current modes of transport for these commodities includes a combination of road only, road and ship (or ship and road) or ship only.

3. Modal shift will be achieved by retaining existing traffic flows (the majority in this case) which are at risk of reverting to road if the work isn't carried out and a new flow by sea which is currently moving by road.

4. Future modes of transport will either be ship only or ship involving shorter road legs.

It might help if I explain that any company who wants to move freight by water rather than by road may apply for a ports mode shift grant. The company may propose to invest in new freight handling facilities in a Scottish port or re-invest in existing port facilities in Scotland. The key requirement for payment of grant is that Scottish Ministers must be satisfied that if the proposed facility is not provided, the freight, which would have used it, will in fact be carried by road. And, as part of the application process, applicants need to provide details of the traffic which is the subject of the application indicating whether this is traffic new to water, or existing traffic which would otherwise revert to road. A link to the scheme guidance is provided for information.

https://www.transport.gov.scot/media/41415/draft-pmsg-gber-guide-for-applicants-january-2018.pdf

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