Rail Freight and the UK Supply Chain

To help the rail freight sector meet the demands of the UK supply chain, we focus on the following core policy areas:

Cost

• Delivering an economically competitive service with ongoing reductions in operating costs

Service

• Providing a seven-day accessible freight network and striving toward the achievement of 24-hour operation

Network capability

• The removal of network pinch-points that constrain freight traffic
• Gauge enhancement for intermodal containers
• Expansion of European-gauge cleared routes for freight

Terminals

• Facilitating the development of rail freight terminals via the UK planning system

International

• Striving for affordable Channel Tunnel freight access and the liberalisation of rail freight services throughout Europe

Read our Agenda for More

Institutional frameworks required for rail freight

Against the background of the current reviews of the rail industry (Hendy, Bowe and Shaw) and the consultations on network system operation by the Office of Road and Rail and Network Rail, there is a need to state the continuing requirements for public policy to deliver the institutional framework requirements to sustain rail freight growth.

Rail freight commodity route map

Government Rail Reviews: the institutional frameworks required to sustain rail freight growth in Britain