Useful Facts and Figures

Freight containers In the past ten year rail freight has grown by 70 per cent; in the year 2007/08 rail freight moved 21,18 billion net tonne kilometres. Graphs of railfreight growth. Rail has 12% of the UK surface freight market (i.e. road + rail). There is significant suppressed demand for rail freight with forecasts showing the potential to double tonnes carried by 2030 including a fivefold increase in container rail freight according to RFG and FTA.

More than £1.5 billion private investment in locomotives, wagons, facilities and systems has taken place since 1995.

The economic, social and environmental arguments for rail freight

Economic

Road congestion is claimed to cost businesses £17 billion per annum. FTA The Importance of Rail Freight 2008
An average freight train can remove 50 HGVs journeys from our roads - Network Rail 2008
An aggregates freight train can remove 120 HGV journeys from our roads - Network Rail 2008
Road Traffic in total grew by 1.1 % between 2007 and 2008, cars by 0.4%, LGVs by 4.6%, HGVs by 0.8% - Transport Statistics Great Britain, 2007 Edition, DfT 2008
There has been a long term increase in overall average length of haul from road from 68 kilometres in 1980 to 86 kilometres in 2007.
Just over half of all goods (52%) were lifted by road on a trip of 50 kilometres or less in 2007 Transport Statistics Great Britain, 2007 Edition, DfT 2008
HGVs only pay between one to two thirds of the costs they impose on society, depending on the way it is calculated. (see MTRU updated report Feb 2008 Heavier lorries and their impacts on economy and environment www. Campaign for Better Transport May 2008
Lorries are up to 160,000 times more damaging to road surfaces than the average car; some of the heaviest road repair costs are therefore almost exclusively attributable to the heaviest vehicles – Freight on Rail research 2006
According to the Office of Rail Regulation rail ticket prices increased by 11.8% in real terms between 1995 and 2007 (National Rail Trends Yearbook, page 56) whereas the the cost of motoring has fallen by 4 percent in the last three years.
The cost of road schemes continues to soar
A14 Ellington – Fen Ditton cost £1.2 bn 150% increase since start 04/03
M25 J16-J23 £697m 41% increase since start in 04/04.
M25 J27 – J30 £583m 45% increase since 04/04,
M25 J16 – J23 £697m 41% increase since start 04/04
The Weymouth relief road entered the roads programme in 2003, costing £54.6 million. It is currently expected to cost £84.5 million – 55% more than originally predicted.
A46 Newark-Widmerpool £506 million 517% since programme entry, March 2001
A120 Braintree to Marks Tey £444 million Not yet approved, by has so far increased at least 41%. A3 Hindhead £381 million 256% since programme entry, March 2001.
Mottram-Tintwhistle Bypass £315 million 250% since programme entry, April 2003 - statement to the House of Commons by Roads Minister Tom Harris in March 2008 or the more recent Highways Agency's July 2008 costs estimate report

Environmental

Transport is the fastest growing source of climate change. Road transport alone account for 26% of UK emissions
HGV traffic has grown by 20% with a 14% rise in CO2 emissions.
HGVs are responsible for 20% of carbon dioxide emissions from all domestic transport and road freight now account for 8% of UK carbon dioxide emissions
92% of domestic transport emissions are from road modes – Carbon Pathways DfT 2008
Transport overall is responsible for 28% of carbon dioixide emissions in UK – Carbon Pathways DfT 2008
Per tonne carried, rail produces between five and ten times less emissions than road transport – EWS March 2007
Energy efficiency is directly related to carbon dioxide emissions, rail is significantly more energy efficient than other modes with the exception of shipping. Per tonne carried, road transport will requires between 4 to 7 times more energy than rail. – The case for rail, Railfuture 2004
The Government committed to increasing the target to cut greenhouse gas emissions to 80% instead of 60 per cent target by 2050. –Secretary of State for Climate Change and Energy 16th October 2008.
The health impacts of traffic pollution cost £11.1bn each year. Source: Environmental Transport Association
Rail overall produces 1.7% of the total UK emissions of Carbon dioxide compared to 21% from road transport – Carbon Pathways DfT 2008

Safety

DfT research stated that because of their size and weight, when they are involved in accidents the level of injury tends to be higher.
HGVS were twice as likely to be involved in fatal accidents as cars in 2007 – Road Statistics Traffic Speeds Chart 10 p 115 2007, issued July 2008
TRL stated that when trucks are in a smash they do serious damage. HGVs in the UK account for only 6% of all vehicle-km driven but are involved in 17% of road accidents where there are fatalities – Iain Knight Commercial Motor 17th July 2008

Safety comparison – 1 rail passenger died during 2007.
2946 people died in road accidents during the same period - Transport Statistics 2007 & Office of Rail Regulation (rail figure excludes trespassers and suicides)

Lack of compliance with existing speed restrictions which puts other road users at extra risk

Over 82% of HGVs exceeded their speed limit of 50 mph on dual carriageways and almost three-quarters exceeded the 40 mph limit on single carriageway non-built up roads in 2007. Source: DfT Transport Statistics Traffic Speeds Figure 3.5C for 2007 issued July 2008
Blameworthyness ratio – lorries and LGVs had the highest blame orthiness ratio of all work vehicles, over 4 times higher than buses (PCVs, taxis and emergency vehicles – Road Safety Research Report no 58 Nottingham University for DfT: In depth study of work related road traffic accidents August 2005
HGV/LGVs are responsible for more fatalities than any other work vehicle type regardless of blame. In particular on rural A roads and motorways, reasons = poor observation, close following, fatigue, load problems, vehicle defects & time constraints. A quarter of fatalities are caused by LGV/HGV drivers breaking the speed limit. Road Safety Research Report no 58 see bullet above for DfT August 2005
RAC Foundation survey found that HGVs were the second biggest fear for motorists travelling on motorways. Trailgating was the highest - 2005.
More people have been killed on Britain’s roads since the Second World War than the number of British soldiers killed on active service during the war. Source: Slower Speeds Initiative

Statistics Updated on 17th October 2008 by Freight on Rail
(DfT = Department for Transport)