Focus on passenger rail could see growth mission hit the buffers, says Logistics UK

Friday 28 March 2025

The government pledges that the North will not be “held to ransom by broken transport system” but Logistics UK Senior Policy Advisor, Ellis Shelton urges that, as part of that process, it must not overlook the role of rail freight in driving growth in the regions and across the whole country:

“Passenger travel is critical for the country, but unlocking the full potential of the railways, including for freight, is essential to growing the economy and getting goods and business moving in the most productive, strategic and green way.

“Upgrading the rail infrastructure for passenger services should benefit rail freight by improving the network’s overall capacity and reliability, but it feels as if moving freight by rail is still considered as an afterthought. The needs of rail freight should be intrinsic to any investment programme if the UK government is not going to leave its own growth mission in the sidings. The government has set itself a target of growing rail freight by 75% by 2050 – to do that, rail needs to be considered as an intrinsic part of all development programmes, and not as an afterthought, or ignored completely.”

Logistics UK is one of the UK’s biggest 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, water 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. For more information about the organisation and its work, please get in touch - here.