The government has today (Tuesday 8 September) announced an additional target for the growth of rail freight.

While it is bringing passenger rail operations into public ownership, the government is leaving the freight sector in private hands. It sees the new targets as “part of continued support for the freight sector to realise its economic and environmental benefits”.

Secretary of State for Transport, Heidi Alexander, has issued a statement that affirms government support for the existing target of an increase of at least 75% in freight moved by rail in net tonne-kilometres by 2050.

This target was set by the previous government in December 2023.

The statement also reveals that the government has set an interim target of an increase of at least 40% in freight moved by rail in net tonne-kilometres by 2040.

Alexander states that to provide further support for the government’s vision for the rail freight sector, she has set specific targets for particular types of commodities.

She believes that by 2040, rail freight can increase volumes of high-value goods by 65%, construction goods by 45% and critical goods by 7%.

At present, rail freight carries goods worth nearly £34 billion each year. If the new target is achieved, this figure would rise by around £15 billion.

One freight train can carry the materials required to build about thirty homes.

The government estimates that if the 2040 growth target is delivered, the value of goods moved by rail freight will rise from £33.7 billion to £49.5 billion. It also estimates that if the target is met, carbon emissions will fall by a million tonnes per year compared to the level of emissions if the freight was carried by road.

The Railways Bill, which creates Great British Railways (GBR), is currently progressing through Parliament.

The legislation provides for the Transport Secretary to set a rail freight growth target, to ensure that the duty to increase the volume of freight being transported by rail is embedded in GBR’s decision-making.

The GBR Board will also have a member with specific responsibility for freight.

Tthe government’s target setting for the growth of rail freight will have statutory status and continue to play a key role in ensuring that rail freight continues to prosper as an integral part of the railway.

This new target reflects not only our ambition for the sector, but our commitment to improving supply chain resilience, economic growth and decarbonising our logistics sector.

Heidi alexander, Secretary of State for Transport