PRESSURE on the South's major trunk roads is being reduced by the introduction of two new rail services linking Southampton docks with the rest of the UK.

The rail connections should drastically cut back the number of heavy lorries using the roads to transport cars and containers from the city's port.

Vehicle imports and exports together with the container trade are two of the busiest sectors in the docks so the rail services will make a strong contribution to improving traffic in and around the port of Southampton.

The first new service will transport cars manufactured by the Ford Motor Company from the docks to the company's UK sales dealerships throughout the UK.

More than 120 Focus and Ka models left the port on the first train, which was bound for the Moss End distribution centre in Scotland.

The trains are operated by Autoliner, with Southampton based ANSA Logistics responsible for organising the service.

"The use of rail is something we had to encourage and this new service is particularly welcome as an environmentally friendly way of transporting vehicles over long distances,'' said Southampton's port director, Andrew Kent. "Each train leaving Southampton takes around 15 car transporters off the road.''

Regular services will be operated from the port using new rail sidings in the Western Docks which form part of the Vehicle-Holding Centre constructed by Associated British Ports for Ford last year.

The VHC provides storage and allocation for Ford vehicles pending their distribution.

English, Welsh and Scottish Railway has also expanded its network with a new deep-sea train service out of Southampton.

The trains connect with the company's Enterprise network.

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