The First Minister of Scotland opened Highland Spring Group’s new rail freight facility in Blackford, Perthshire.

The development is a major milestone for the UK’s leading producer of natural source waters, enabling them to transport goods sustainably and supporting their ambition to reach net zero by 2040.

The new facility, adjacent to Highland Spring Group’s main bottling plant in Blackford, has been planned in partnership with Transport Scotland, Network Rail, and the Scottish Government. It will offer long-term environmental benefits through the removal of 8,000 HGV movements from the road, saving 3,200 tonnes of C02 every year.

The project has been 10 years in development and is part of the businesses’ long-term strategy to invest in and develop innovative solutions to provide healthy hydration in an environmentally sustainable way.

The First Minister of Scotland, Nicola Sturgeon MSP said:

“Getting the Highland Spring Rail Freight Facility to the point of opening and operating has been a complex task and everyone involved should be immensely proud of their achievements, including Network Rail who played a key role in developing the infrastructure to support this project.  Rail freight is intrinsic to the Scottish economy, it supports the supply chain and serves a broad range of sectors, and is good for society and our environment.  That’s why the Scottish Government invested £4.47 million in this project through a Freight Facilities Grant. Removing more than ten million lorry miles from Scotland’s roads in the first ten years of operation will go a long way to improving the environment and lives of those close by as well as helping the country as a whole achieve net zero.  I am confident other businesses will now follow suit.”