UK longer freight trains for longer term growth
A number of UK freight services are temporarily increasing in length and weight in support of the economic recovery after the pandemic. The longest trains, running at 775m, are in-line with the planned ambition to...Read more
Optimism as UK rail freight stages recovery
More than 90 per cent of pre-pandemic rail freight traffic volume is back in operation. That seems like good news for the future says Network Rail’s Andy Saunders. The recovery comes despite a thirty per...Read more
UK rail freight an incredible, almost heroic, response says minister
Chris Heaton-Harris, rail minster and a member of the UK parliament, has gone on record to praise the efforts of the rail freight industry during the current pandemic. The government minister was remotely addressing last...Read more
Back to the future for UK rail freight with steam powered ’66
There is a modern twist on the original power source for the railways. An English company is working to convert the diesel workhorse of the UK freight network, to run under steam power. Will this...Read more
UK ends franchising passenger traffic, what does it mean for freight?
The UK government has announced this morning that it will support the passenger network for at least the next 18 months. This means that it is officially renationalising the railways, doing away with the franchising...Read more
HS2 construction good for UK rail freight, supply and logistics industries
The UK High Speed Rail project, HS2, officially launched its ten-year construction phase last week. The recruitment drive will eventually employ over 22,000 people at over 200 sites along the line, between London and Birmingham....Read more
UK rail freight offers cautious welcome back to passenger sector
With a new timetable introduced today, much of the UK passenger network is now operating at almost pre-pandemic levels of service. While passenger numbers are still down, the network is once again filling up. What...Read more
UK Rail Freight Group firms up post-pandemic policy
The independent representative body for the industry in the UK, the Rail Freight Group, has published its forward position on post-pandemic business affairs within the sector. The Group has also taken a holistic view on...Read more
Sparks fly as UK freight leaders unite on decarbonisation
Major representative bodies and stakeholders are today seeking progress on a national initiative to make the railways net-zero carbon by 2050, in line with the UK government target set out in legislation.Read more
Rail industry left out of UK chancellor’s plan for jobs
After last week’s announcement by UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson, in which he committed to ‘build, build, build’, the rail industry was hoping for some detail in today’s statement from UK chancellor Rishi Sunak. However,...Read more
‘Make old railheads serve future freight needs’
Passenger terminals and former smoke-stack sidings provide the clean, green alternative to city-wide congestion. An economical way to answer the needs of modern freight operations might be to dual-purpose passenger assets and recycle former facilities,...Read more
Greater capacity most important says UK industry
Rail freight professionals in the UK have overwhelmingly chosen increased network capacity as the primary factor required to enable sustainable growth in the sector. This was concluded in an online poll, conducted by corporate law...Read more
UK slipping behind EU on decarbonising freight
Transport policy in the UK is not moving fast enough to keep up with decarbonisation planning in the EU, says the Rail Freight Group. There are fears that inaction could put rail freight and the...Read more
Rail freight steps up to deliver for United Kingdom
Two of the most influential bodies in British industry have issued a joint statement, recognising the contribution of the rail freight industry during the current coronavirus crisis. They have called on government to recognise its...Read more
UK rail freight in a state of flux
Maggie Simpson, the director general of the Rail Freight Group, gave a frank appraisal of the industry as she opened the RailFreight Webinar UK on the future prospects for growth. Cause for long-term optimism is...Read more
UK freight growth on the horizon
Members of the influential Rail Freight Group believe that recovery for the sector is on the horizon and could lead the way for the British economy. That optimism, together with long term growth, is up...Read more