Intermodal rail freight has seen its eighth consecutive year of growth, with a three per cent year-on-year growth through 2010/11, and total volumes moved at some 5.68bn net tonne km, according to The Office of Rail Regulation.
The ORR’s National Rail Trends Yearbook for 2010 to 20111 showed that the total amount of freight moved in the period was 19.23bn net tonne km, a slight but stable increase of 0.9 per cent from the previous year.
Maggie Simpson, RFG policy manager, said: “These figures demonstrate that the rail freight sector has managed to transform itself from reliance on traditional bulk markets to being a key part of modern intermodal logistics.
“Growth has been supported by investment in equipment and in the rail network, such as the gauge clearance of key routes to permit larger intermodal units to be conveyed.”
