Consumer shopping sprees keep UK freight trains chugging along
RISING consumer spending, faster delivery services and a jump in UK car manufacturing has sent the number of goods needing to be sent up and down the country by freight trains steaming ahead, according to new research from Network Rail.
In a report published in partnership with Royal Mail and the Co-op, Network Rail said there were 80 more freight trains now running per week compared with last year, with new cars and demand for fresh groceries driving growth.
Demand has steadily risen over the past decade, with a 75 per cent uplift in the volume of goods travelling by train since 2005.