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Freight in the North: It’s more important than you think

[ December 12, 2022   //   ]

Transport for the North (TfN) says that the regional freight and logistics sector could be worth more than £30bn, according to a new report.

A Freight and Logistics Strategy for the North of England says that more than 33% of goods enter the country through the Northern ports, 25% of Great Britain’s freight starts in the North, and the same proportion of journeys end there.

By 2050 it could be worth more than £30bn to the North’s economy and employ more than 500,000 people, it adds.

However, growth in the sector will need investment to remove bottlenecks in road, rail and inland waterway networks, terminals and decarbonisation.

The report also identifies challenges such as a shortage of warehouse capacity (especially rail connected warehousing), lack of reliable and efficient east-west connections across the Pennines and a disproportionate reliance on ports in the South of England.

Chief Executive at Transport for the North, Martin Tugwell, said: “The need to decarbonise our transport system also creates the opportunity to harness the potential of the North’s cutting-edge technology to deliver a transport system that is not only fit for the future, but which is sustainable in the longer-term. The drive to reduce the carbon impacts of freight and logistics runs through this strategy and works hand in glove with TfN’s Transport Decarbonisation Strategy.

“We have a clear vision and want to see continued growth in the sector that will help unlock the economic potential of the North. Our approach puts the needs of the user at the heart of our work for only in this way will our solutions deliver real results for businesses and communities.”

Principal policy officer freight and logistics, Lucy Hudson, added that “freight is no longer the Cinderella of transport. This comprehensive strategy sets out a suite of freight and logistics objectives for the North of England, a detailed description of the network and pinch points, additional TfN activity on decarbonisation, strategic rail, freight analysis and TfN’s future travel scenarios and how these activities relate and contribute to TfN’s freight and logistics activity.”

Vice-chair of Transport for the North and leader of Cheshire West and Chester council, Louise Gittins, said aklso: “Freight by road accounts for 90 percent of all tonnage moved in the North. The Strategy considers freight requirements across road, rail, port and inland waterways in the Transport for the North region. We will work with partners, government, delivery bodies and the industry, to reduce journey delays, and support less polluting and more energy efficient movement of goods. We’ll support the change from moving goods by road to rail and water.”

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