-
Rail freight could need to treble in UK to meet net
zero ambition
-
Billions in benefits to UK economy could be realised by
moving more freight to rail
-
Call for evidence open now for 12 weeks
The future guiding mind for Britain’s railways has launched a
call for evidence to get views from businesses on how to increase
the amount of freight that is moved by rail.
This growth would decarbonise the nation’s logistics chains and
get lorries off roads. The Great British Railways Transition Team
(GBRTT) wants views and ideas from the widest possible range of
stakeholders within and beyond the rail and logistics sectors on
how to expand rail freight.
It is estimated rail freight currently accounts for just 10% of
surface freight but delivers social and economic benefits worth
£2.5 billion to the UK each year. More than 60% of these benefits
are realised in former industrial heartlands. Rail freight trains
generate about 76% less carbon emissions compared to HGVs per
tonne of goods transported.
A freight growth target will act as a catalyst for investment in
the rail freight sector by setting a clear government ambition
for growth. It will help to highlight the role of freight on the
rail network, giving confidence to the sector’s customers and
investors. In doing so it will help meet the country’s ambitious
greenhouse gas reduction targets and reduce the number of lorries
on the road.
If rail freight volumes treble by 2050, as modelling indicates
could be required to meet the net-zero targets, then there would
be about 14 million fewer road lorry movements a year than today.
Rail Minister, said: “With freight playing a
significant role in removing emissions from our transport
network, this new growth target will be vital for creating a
greener freight network as we continue to strive towards net
zero.”
Helen McAllister, Programme Director (Freight Reform) at GBRTT,
said: “Freight trains have a key role to play in a decarbonised
logistics system, and there’s scope for the railway to do even
more.
“Research suggests we could need to treble the amount of freight
carried by rail to help meet net zero commitments. This would
also cut road congestion for drivers and boost the economy.
“This call for evidence will help us understand how much of the
current and future market demand for freight could be met by
rail, how we can make it even more efficient and sustainable and
how we can connect to new customers.”
Kate Jennings, Policy Director at Logistics UK said: “When
passenger numbers dropped as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,
focus across the rail industry shifted to rail freight. But now,
with passenger numbers returning, our sector will require support
and investment to respond to customer demand. Logistics UK
welcomes the Government’s commitment to establishing a rail
freight growth target and is urging its members to respond to
this Call for Evidence to ensure the resulting plans for the
future of rail freight are clear and ambitious.”
The Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail (Plan for Rail) recommended the
establishment of a new, public rail body: Great British Railways
(GBR). The Great British Railways Transition Team has been set up
to establish GBR. One of the Plan for Rail’s core commitments is
that the Government will set a rail freight growth target.
GBRTT’s call for evidence will be used to inform this. The target
will complement existing and future targets set by Scottish
Ministers in Scotland, and magnify the impact of rail freight
growth nationwide.
The call for evidence will help GBRTT to understand the realistic
volume of goods that could be transferred to rail; where the
potential for future rail freight traffic exists and where new
rail terminals could be needed. This builds on the Department for
Transport and Industry’s joint Future of Freight long-term plan,
published in early June. The plan highlighted the role rail
freight and mode shift plays in enabling an efficient, resilient,
reliable, and sustainable freight and logistics sector. Both
documents recognise and promote the need for rail to be part of
an integrated, multimodal logistics system. The call for evidence
is a pivotal next step in achieving our mode shift ambitions.
This call for evidence launches on 5 July 2022 and will be open
for 12 weeks, until 27 September 2022.
Notes to editors
- GBRTT welcomes individual responses or those on behalf of an
organisation or organisations. The call for evidence presents a
fantastic opportunity to not only seek the views of existing rail
freight customers and stakeholders across the wider rail
industry, but also crucially to reach an entirely new audience of
potential rail freight customers.
