Scottish minister backs words with action
Rail freight opportunities are better than ever. Transport Secretary to the Scottish Government, Michael Matheson, has told the Scottish conference of the Rail Freight Group, the industry’s representative association in the UK, that the present...Read more
Rolling electrification needed to decarbonise UK’s railway by 2040
A consortium of business interests from around the UK has called on the UK government to immediately start a programme of rolling electrification to help meet the target of decarbonising the railway by 2040. The...Read more
Green light HS2: good news for UK’s rail freight?
UK’s high-speed line HS2 has been given the go ahead on 11 February 2020. This is good news for rail transport in general. For rail freight, the government will need to make an effort if...Read more
Future for UK timber trains in Scotland
There are fresh calls for a more sustainable approach to the timber industry, and a new look at bringing back rail as the prime mover. However, even supporters say there are considerable commercial challenges. Timber trains...Read more
Will freight win the UK General Election?
With just a few days to go until what has been called the UK’s Brexit Election, political parties have been called upon to set out their rail freight policies. With an average of one daily...Read more
New UK government urged to prioritise rail freight
The British Rail Freight Group has set out its priorities for the new government and called on all party leaders to include rail freight as part of their transport commitments. With a renewed focus on...Read more
Rail Freight Group: ‘UK rail freight could grow much more’
The British rail freight industry could grow more than what is currently projected. Among others, more public funding and support policies could encourage increased private investment. This was the conclusion of a new report by...Read more
Rail Freight Group urges government to fund digitalisation UK fleet
Rail Freight Group (RFG) urges the UK government to fund the fleet fitment of freight locomotives in order to realise its Digital Railway Strategy for the sector. “Without certainty of future funding, freight risks being...Read more
UK freight growth ‘hampered’ by deferred works, says RFG head
The growth of rail freight in the UK is being hampered by delays to infrastructure works. That’s the message which Maggie Simpson, Executive Director of the Rail Freight Group, has delivered to a government panel...Read more
UK north transport plan ‘good for modal shift’, says RFG
The Rail Freight Group (RFG) believes the UK Government’s draft transport plan for the north could be a springboard for large-scale modal shift to rail. It was responding to the proposals set out by Transport for...Read moreFreight bodies’ cautious welcome for UK Rail Strategy
UK rail freight campaigners have cautiously welcomed the Government’s new Rail Strategy, which reaffirms ongoing initiatives to boost the sector, but say the integration of regional rail partnerships will present a challenge to freight’s national...Read more
Port of Tilbury unveils new rail freight strategy
The Port of Tilbury, the major trading port gateway for London, has unveiled plans to reinvigorate its entire rail freight infrastructure, including the introduction of regular intermodal services to the Midlands and Scotland. With three rail...Read moreRail Freight Group sets out priorities for incoming Government
The UK Rail Freight Group (RFG) has urged political leaders to make rail freight a key part of their future transport commitments, as the country prepares to go to the polls on June 8. Setting...Read moreRFG’s Maggie Simpson: freight network must be ‘fit for purpose’
As Executive Director of the UK Rail Freight Group, Maggie Simpson’s inbox is never empty. She leads the RFG’s work to increase modal shift, by campaigning for a policy environment which supports rail freight, promotes...Read more
Rail safety course for construction workers is ‘ideal opportunity’
The Rail Freight Group (RFG) has welcomed a new training course offering rail safety awareness training to the construction materials industry. Shaped by the RFG’s own construction working group, the course is targeting those working...Read more
China-London service shows post-Brexit trade potential, says RFG
The launch of the first-ever China-London direct cargo service should be the catalyst for a new era of rail-led imports and exports, says Rail Freight Group (RFG) Executive Director Maggie Simpson. She believes that in...Read more