"UNREALISTIC, unproven, insufficient, impractical, questionable". These are just some of the critical adjectives fired at Associated British Ports over its plans for rail access to a new Dibden Bay container terminal.

As the public inquiry into ABP's scheme to expand into virgin territory at Dibden Bay reached Day 71, Hampshire County Council's train expert Jeremy Thorne pulled no punches in his assessment of their rail study.

ABP would need a good proportion of containers arriving at their new terminal to continue their journey upcountry by freight train instead of adding to road congestion.

But Mr Thorne said: "The information provided by ABP is insufficient to form a comprehensive opinion on the probable availability of freight train paths. Their sample times remain unproven as they only cover short sections.

"It is unrealistic of ABP to adopt the present passenger and freight timetable as a basis to project the ability of the network to handle traffic 13 years hence."

ABP reckon that up to 35 per cent of a Dibden Bay Terminal's transport needs would have to be met by rail, to fit in with their calculations for minimising the impact of the scheme on road traffic.

"A 35 per cent split for rail traffic is over-optimistic," said Mr Thorne. "A more robust assumption would be 25 to 30 per cent."

Totton and Eling town council had some new figures for ABP too. ABP have offered £1.5m-worth of local road improvements to make up for the Junction Road level crossing in the middle of Totton potentially being closed for an extra nine minutes per hour because of long freight trains from Dibden Bay.

But Totton's planning officer Roger Hill said: "We think at least £3m should come from ABP if their scheme goes through.

"Totton's town centre improvement plan is not yet released but it will cost about £45m in all. A contribution of £1.5m is just not enough.

"Residents' patience with the level crossing is already pushed to its limits. Few would be satisfied with no change to the present situation. Most would prefer a new traffic-pedestrian bridge or underpass as a solution."