Robert Girgis, Director of Policy, Rail Partners said:
Overall, the ORR’s 2023/24 rail freight data reflects another challenging year for the sector. Wider economic conditions continue to affect demand for rail freight services and, while Network Rail performance has improved reliability in recent months, more work is needed to improve performance further and restore customer confidence.
Despite the wide consensus on the importance of rail freight growth, now backed by the government’s commitment to a long-term growth target, this data shows consistent freight growth won’t happen on its own.
Freight companies continue to invest and innovate to deliver for customers even within this challenging context, but to ensure we fully realise the low-carbon and economic benefits of rail freight, it is essential to create the right conditions for growth. That means a level playing field between different modes of transport so that freight customers can make the right decision for both their business and the environment.
- Rail Partners’ report, Freight Britain, outlines a policy framework that will create the conditions for freight growth, helping to stimulate private investment and address the widening gap between road and rail costs to create a more level playing field between different freight modes. See page 12 of the report: https://railpartners.co.uk/our-work/publications/freight-britain
- ORR freight rail usage and performance data for Q4 is available here: https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/statistics/usage/freight-rail-usage-and-performance
Rail Partners exists to make the railway better by harnessing the expertise and creativity of private sector operators for the benefit of those who use the railway, passengers and freight customers, and those who pay for it, including taxpayers.
Rail Partners provides advocacy and policy solutions for its private sector passenger owning group and freight company members. Rail Partners additionally provides technical services to train operating companies in both the public and private sectors. For more information regarding our membership visit: https://www.railpartners.co.uk/
