HISTORY has been made with the first jumbo train of 34 wagons departing from Associated British Ports rail terminal in Cardiff, South Wales, and travelling to Acton in London, saving the equivalent of more than 80 truck loads on some of the country’s most congested roads.
In 1965, Straitgate Farm near Ottery St Mary in Devon was bought by ECC Quarries in the hope it would yield 20 million tonnes of sand & gravel. In 2001, Straitgate Action Group was formed to oppose the development and its potential harm to water supplies, ancient wetland habitats, protected species and much more. In 2023, Aggregate Industries – owned by Swiss giant Holcim – was finally granted permission to quarry just 1 million tonnes following a public inquiry. This blog records the story.