Rail freight contributes billions to the UK economy annually while keeping supermarkets stocked, builders building and medicine moving.
We’re committed to accelerating the shift to rail over the next five years and beyond because of freight’s environmental, social and economic benefits.
Learn more about this industry in numbers …
Net Zero
We’ll support freight growth by 8% over the next five years. This will help reach the government target set in 2023 to grow rail freight by 75% by 2050.
Growing the rail freight industry is an important part of our plans to cut our carbon to achieve a net-zero emissions railway by 2045 in Scotland and by 2050 in the rest of Britain.
69m
Figures by Office of Rail and Road show 69m tonnes of rail freight was carried on Britain’s railway in the year ending Thursday 31 March 2024. This amounts to goods worth about £25bn.
30
Each freight train is able to transport enough construction materials to build 30 houses. In fact, building materials are among the top commodities rail freight transports in Britain and we’re committed to supporting this further. Our recent masterplan for regenerating land at Bow Goods Yard in East London involves plans for transforming the area to move even more construction materials by rail.
£2.45bn
Industry body Rail Delivery Group says freight contributes £2.45bn to the economy every year. And the industry offers opportunities for careers and communities beyond London and the South East, with a strong presence in Scotland, Wales and the North of England.
90%
The percentage of economic and social benefits rail freight is estimated to have brought to regions outside of London and the South East in 2021, according to Rail Delivery Group.
For example, the same report by Rail Delivery Group suggested rail freight brought £860m of benefits to Yorkshire and The Humber region and £375m to the East Midlands – compared with £45m in the South West that year.
600+
The average number of freight trains running on our railway every single day. About 50 of these trains run in Scotland delivering goods 24 hours a day. This helps the environment by emitting fewer carbon emissions. It also eases congestion on our roads.
1.4m
This is the average tonnes of carbon emissions Rail Delivery Group estimates rail freight saves each year compared with road transport.
129
One jumbo freight train can replace up to 129 heavy goods vehicles, easing congestion on our roads, reducing carbon and improving air quality.
