The Government recognises that ports’ interface with freight operators is at the core of their operations. While some cargo enters and leaves by sea, and this will be increasingly a feature in the years to come, and some is transported onwards by pipeline, in most cases road and rail connections are, and will remain, vital. The Department recognises its own complementary role in this respect. In view of the Committee’s recommendation, we are amending the NPS text to draw out further the importance of co-ordination with inland transport modes. The Department’s Transport Analysis Guidance (TAG) will continue to guide and facilitate modelling to optimise modal shift, so that transport requirements, conditions and/or obligations can be assessed on a clear and consistent basis from the earliest stages of project planning.