FREIGHT train movements in the UK dropped to 224,000 in 2016/17, a reduction of 5% over the previous year.
A 39% collapse in coal traffic, a result of stricter carbon emissions targets and the closure of coal-fired power stations, is the major factor behind the decrease.
In 2016/17, the total amount of freight lifted in Great Britain fell to 79.4 million tonnes, the lowest since 1984/85 – an 8% decrease on 2015/16 – and just over half the total recorded by BR’s Railfreight sector in 1988/89 (149.5 million tonnes).
Monthly Subscription: Enjoy more Railway Magazine reading each month with free delivery to you door, and access to over 100 years in the archive, all for just £5.35 per month.
Click here to subscribe & save
The total volume of rail freight moved fell to 17.2 billion net tonne kilometres in 2016/17, a 3% reduction on 2015/16, and the lowest since the late-1990s, but the total amount of freight lifted in 2016/17 dropped by 8% to 79.4 million tonnes – the lowest value recorded since 1984/85.
Read more in the July 2017 issue of The RM – on sale now!
