Rail freight’s contribution has been more widely recognised through the pandemic, but there is a need for strategic thinking to maximise its benefits, GB Railfreight CEO John Smith told the Golden Whistles conference.
Mr Smith suggested Government and indeed many in the rail industry hadn’t previously understood the ‘miracle of logistics’ – the way just in time deliveries worked and the routes that brought in goods and distributed them across the UK. Having fewer passenger trains on the network offered a clear benefit to freight, both in terms of pathing and performance.
Containers key
Intermodal traffic has grown beyond all recognition over the last half-century, and now shipping containers are carrying a much more complex range of goods. There are cost issues – the cost of moving a container from Asia to Felixstowe has increased tenfold in recent years, and the current high rate of inflation poses challenges too.
The growth in intermodal traffic has been exponential, and Mr Smith said GBRf could run another five intermodal trains today if it had the drivers and equipment. There are examples of suppliers insisting their product is moved by train ra…
