The central role of ports in the UK economy
As an island nation, ports have always played a pivotal role in our economy. But with increasing congestion and wider demands on capacity, like renewable energy infrastructure needs, it is becoming more and more difficult to get products into the hands of British consumers.
The freight market relies heavily on interconnectivity across all modes of transport. As demand and pressure have increased, more and more ports are feeling the pressure. They are experiencing bottlenecks that come from a freight market that is still overly reliant on road haulage (in 2020, road = 77%, rail = 9% and deep sea = 14%).
The environmental case for rail connectivity
This overreliance on road haulage has a knock-on effect on greenhouse gas emissions. Around 21% of the UK’s total carbon emissions come from road freight. Comparatively, rail freight accounts for less than 1% of carbon emissions.
Even when factoring in the varying sizes of the sectors, studies show that road haulage is three times worse for the environment than completing the same journey by rail, not least owing to the sheer volumes that can be transported by a single freight train.
Investing in increased rail connectivity is a vital component of future proofing port infrastructure. Road haulage will always be a necessary part of any supply chain, often irreplaceable in certain geographies, supporting last mile delivery etc. However, ensuring multimodal connectivity will be fundamental for protecting future freight capacity and pace, and the environment as well.
Investment in rail and intermodal infrastructure
A key example of this investment in action can be seen in the £17 million Southampton Freight Train Lengthening project. The project included a series of improvements on the lines used by freight trains between Southampton Central and Redbridge. Thus, unlocking more capacity at the country’s second busiest container port.
Freight services between Southampton, the Midlands and the North can now carry up to 20% more goods. This is just one example that showcases the importance of transport infrastructure improvements having a significant impact on port capacity, rail opportunities and the wider economy.
To improve their intermodal infrastructure links, other UK ports have also been increasing investment. As an example, the Port of Hull has been investing heavily to upgrade both road and rail connections. These now support larger vehicles, and freight rail capacity has been boosted.
Elsewhere, developments on the Felixstowe to Nuneaton railway line are underway to simplify and improve rail transport on one of the UK’s busiest freight corridors, supporting intermodal connectivity.
Policy, incentives and future growth
Projects like DP World’s Modal Shift Programme show the advantages of increasing port to rail connectivity. The scheme encourages companies moving containers of goods from the Port of Southampton by rail to inland terminals. A small incentive supports the financial viability of doing so, taking HGVs off our roads. This is with the aim of increasing rail freight’s share of onward journeys from 21% to 40% by 2026. In its first year, this scheme removed 64,300 lorry journeys from UK roads and cut carbon emissions by over 17,000 tonnes.
Alongside the individual port success stories, the sector as a whole has impressive potential to tap. The rail freight sector brings £26 billion in economic, social, and environmental benefits every year. The estimates suggest that a 40% rise in rail usage by 2035 could increase that to £46 billion.
With rail freight currently being underutilised, there is a need for robust and well publicised policies to encourage wider use ranging from location specific initiatives like the DP World Scheme to wider Government support like their Mode Shift Revenue Support Scheme (MSRS).
The path forward: Communication and long-term planning
Additionally, significant investment in infrastructure will require substantial funding and long-term planning to be effective. We must ensure early and proactive communications and engagement with politicians, stakeholders, and the wider public to ensure they are advocating for sustainable transport infrastructure.
The future of freight transport in the UK rests on creating a seamless network of intermodal connectivity. This gives businesses reliability, consumers pace of supply and society as a whole a greener and more efficient logistics sector.
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