First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has hailed Highland Spring’s Perthshire rail freight link as a “key moment” in Scotland’s environmental ambitions.
The Scottish Government backed the new stretch of track at Blackford with £4.47 million of funding.
“We did that, of course, because we know how fundamentally important it is to our net zero ambitions,” said the First Minister.
The freight terminal links Highland Spring’s bottled water plant with the mainline.
Launching the facility on Wednesday, Ms Sturgeon said there is a “moral obligation to tackle climate change, to encourage a shift away from road towards rail”.
She added: “This is a key moment for our environmental and economic ambitions.”
Scotland has set a legally binding target of net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045.
With transport the biggest source of greenhouse gasses in Scotland, there is a need to take lorries off the roads.
“In the next 10 years this project will remove an estimated 10 million lorry miles from Scotland’s roads,” said Ms Sturgeon.
“And it will help Highland Spring become a much more sustainable business.”
Opposition to Perthshire rail freight link
The rail freight link to the Stirling-Perth mainline will reduce heavy vehicle journeys by an estimated 8,000 a year.
But plans for the freight link, which have taken about a decade to come to fruition, were not unanimously accepted by local people.
Blackford residents raised concerns about noise pollution.
And a petition was set up to oppose the project, stating it would “shoehorn heavy industry” into the quiet village.
It gathered 391 supporters.
However, Highland Spring’s joint managing director Simon Oldham said the link was key to making the business more sustainable.
And he said the company had not built the facility with profit in mind.
“From the very start it was about: how do we transport our product more sustainably to our customers.
“That’s been the primary driver from the start, as opposed to the financial benefits.”
He added: “There’s definitely potential for other businesses to do this.
“I’m hoping that this acts as a bit of a blueprint and something that inspires others to do the same.”
Alex Hynes is managing director of Scotland’s Railway
He said to reach net zero Scotland’s transport emissions will have to be cut by 30% by 2045.
And trains have a key role to play.
“A single freight train from here will save 22 lorry journeys on the A9,” he said.
“This is a very stark example of just how critical a role rail freight can play in the fight against climate change.”
Conversation