ORR report rail freight up by 7%

“News from the Office for Rail and Road, that the quantity of freight moved by rail increased by 7% year on year in the quarter April-June 2024, is a demonstration of the key role that rail can play in driving growth and increased productivity across the economy,” says Ellis Shelton, Senior Policy Advisor at business group Logistics UK.

“As economic activity – particularly construction and manufacturing – starts to recover after the economic impact of the pandemic, rail freight’s ability to deliver large, heavy commodities on time will become increasingly valuable and will ensure that the country’s businesses can have access to the materials they need without having a significant impact on the environment. The reliability of the sector, which saw cancellations and lateness at their lowest level for three years for the April-June period, will also ensure that other sectors of the economy can be certain of receiving deliveries on time, vital if delays and rising costs are to be prevented across other parts of the supply chain. We hope that more businesses across the economy will recognise the value that using rail can bring to keep the country moving in order to generate growth for all.”

Logistics UK is one of the UK’s leading business groups, representing logistics businesses which are vital to keeping the UK trading, and more than seven million people directly employed in the making, selling and moving of goods. With decarbonisation, Brexit, new technology and other disruptive forces driving change in the way goods move across borders and through the supply chain, logistics has never been more important to UK plc. Logistics UK supports, shapes and stands up for safe and efficient logistics, and is the only business group which represents the whole industry, with members from the road, rail, sea and air industries, as well as the buyers of freight services such as retailers and manufacturers whose businesses depend on the efficient movement of goods.