A British academic is warning that this week could be disastrous for rail freight in the UK. The first week in January is normally quiet on the British railway scene, but this one will be even quieter than usual. Commuter trains tend to be much quieter, and there is some planned reduction in freight operations, together with a handful of engineering works to tidy up. However, 2023 starts where 2022 left off, with the country in the grip of widespread industrial action keeping trains off the rails.