Rail Partners’ report, Freight Britain: An engine for green growth, offers a route to delivering on and exceeding the government's target to grow rail freight by no less than 75% by 2050 – securing the benefits rail freight brings to the economy and the environment.
Rail freight forms the backbone of our economy and, whether we know it or not, we are all rail freight customers. Businesses across the country look to rail freight to transport a broad range of commodities that we depend on in our daily lives such as food and fuel.
Freight operating companies are actively looking for opportunities to invest in growing the sector. Under the right conditions, they would commit significant resources into procuring greener rolling stock, building new and improved freight facilities across the network, and invest in people to create more high-skilled jobs.
The report details five priority policy interventions that would create those conditions, giving rail freight operating companies confidence to invest, and – in partnership with government – grow the sector:
- Address the widening gap between road and rail costs to create a level playing field between freight modes.
- Maintain and expand already successful grant schemes to remove more lorries from roads.
- Offer long term access to the rail network.
- Provide reliable infrastructure necessary to support rail freight growth.
- Deliver a reformed railway.
Click the link to download the report in full. You can also access the news release here.
