The Rail Freight Group (RFG) has continued to back HS2, despite negative comments being reported from its chairman Lord Tony Berkeley.

RFG announced today (September 16th) that it believes the high speed project will prove beneficial, helping to move goods and freight off of the road network.

A spokesperson for the group said: "With capacity becoming ever more scarce on the West and East Coast Main lines, and with strong forecasts of future freight and passenger growth focused on the city regions, additional capacity is now essential."

Yet it is this growth in rail freight, RFG argues, that helps justify HS2.

The support comes after Lord Berkeley, speaking to the Telegraph, commented on the scheme, stating it is not linked up with the rest of the network efficiently, believing the government was "bulldozing through" a poorly-designed development.

However, RFG also stated that some of the parties involved, notably HS2 Ltd, the government and Network Rail need to better demonstrate how the benefits are to be delivered. It is also calling for freight benefits to be integrated into the rail scheme's case, as well as ensuring enough capacity to meet the "reasonable requirements" of rail freight.