Rail Freight
Increasing the amount of goods transported by rail, for significant economic, environmental and social benefits
Overview
GBRTT works alongside Network Rail as a single Railfreight team, providing a joined-up approach to growing rail freight and a single point of contact for the rail freight sector.
As one Railfreight team, GBRTT and Network Rail together are fully focused on working with freight operators and the logistics sector to support the delivery of a long-term rail freight growth target. This will embed it into industry decision making and strategic thinking and establishing the team as the guiding mind for rail freight. GBRTT’s Strategic Freight Unit (SFU) focuses on strategy, policy, advocacy, RD&I, and market development.
Freight facts
- Rail freight delivers social and economic benefits worth £2.5 billion to the UK each year.
- A single freight train can transport enough materials to build 9 houses and all their supporting infrastructure such as roads, pavements and utilities.
- A freight train can carry up to 129 HGVs worth of goods and emits up to 76% less CO2 per tonne than road freight.
- 90% of rail freight’s economic benefits are realised outside of the London and the Southeast.
Growth target
In December 2023, the Government announced a long-term rail freight growth target of at least 75% by 2050.
By setting the first long-term target of its kind, Government has demonstrated its strong commitment to supporting freight growth over the coming decades.
Market development
Our market development activity focuses on market research and market informed interventions to stimulate modal shift to rail through the identification of new-to-rail volumes and new rail freight sites across the UK.
In addition to commodity volumes and terminal developments, to increase both freight volumes and industry revenue the team is working with partners and train operators to expand the ‘parcels as passengers’ offering. Our 0-5 year Freight Development Delivery Plan sets out a co-ordinated industry approach to stimulating growth and expanding the current rail freight client base through targeted activities.
Useful documents
- New energies: a market commodity digest (November 2024)
- GBRTT freight development delivery plan (May 2024)
- Agricultural produce: a market commodity digest (April 2024)
- Express freight: a market commodity digest (August 2023)
- GBR actions and activities to grow rail freight: a market development plan (December 2022)
Get in touch
Contact us at: railfreight@networkrail.co.uk