Rail

Rail freight is set to play a larger role in the movement of goods in the UK. Rail freight use is steadily increasing, with the total volume of rail freight moved rising by three per cent year-on-year. Network Rail has forecast that rail freight could grow by around 30% by 2035 if sufficient capacity were made available. Logistics UK is campaigning to unlock the full potential of the rail network and ensure rail reform works for UK PLC.

Helping rail freight deliver: Influencing the Williams Review

The government is currently working on a fundamental, long-term review of Britain’s railways - the Williams Review. Logistics UK is campaigning to ensure the review puts freight at the heart of UK rail. We have focused our campaign on five key asks:

  1. Unlock rail capacity: Improve the way capacity is allocated to ensure the best use is made of the railway, taking into account the environmental, social and economic benefits of rail
  2. Offer contractual flexibility: Allow freight to grow to meet customer demand by bringing in greater flexibility to passenger rail contracts
  3. Uphold national network integrity: In an increasingly devolved railway it is crucial to retain a central System Operator function to allow national freight operations to continue
  4. Maintain corporate independence: Maintain transparency and equal treatment for all operators by ensuring Network Rail retains its corporate independence from passenger operators.
  5. Incentivise regional growth: Build on progress in Scotland by introducing growth targets for rail freight across Network Rail regions and routes

 

See Logistics UK's HS2 Report here.

For more information please see our recent press article on our five key asks, and please get involved in our Rail Council to join the campaign.

 

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Helping Rail Deliver

Optimisation of the performance of all modes of transport is a key Logistics UK objective. We have updated our policy advice about how the performance of rail in the multimodal supply chain may be optimised so that it continues to grow by delivering for its customers.

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High Speed 2: The case for released freight capacity

Our policy report explains why more government is needed to ensure freight services have greater access to the conventional rail network following completion of HS2.

View the report

Watch again: Rail and express freight webinar

This webinar explored the potential role of rail in the express freight and parcel market, in both the UK and overseas, featuring speakers from Network Rail, HS1 and Eversholt Rail.

See the recording here

Rail Freight Council

Members of Logistics UK can join the Rail Freight Council, which focuses on the latest issues, industry developments and topics affecting freight movement by rail. The Rail Freight Council sets Logistics UK policy and campaigns for rail freight and ensures members are fully involved with government affairs and regulation in this sector.

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Rail Campaigns