Opinion
Delivering the goods Chris MacRae
As shippers of goods seek to ‘green’ their supply chains, there is more focus on what rail freight can offer them, with rail freight performance featuring high in their expectations
A
recent survey by FTA of its shipper members showed that: - Users of transport report rail freight as having continued network reliability attractiveness over road freight
- Shippers and logistics service providers want to use rail freight more but ranges of services need to improve
FTA Quarterly Transport Activity Survey Transport Infrastructure and Service Reliability – Quarter 4 2012 results
This quarterly survey showed that the rail network retained its reliability attractiveness over the road network in Q4 2012 as reported by respondents. The rate of deterioration in reliability on the road network eased slightly with 22 per cent balance of respondents in Q4 2012 reporting an increase in journey times compared to 24 per cent in Q3 2012. The rate of deterioration in reliability was more pronounced on the urban road network than the motorway network. So, overall a positive picture? FTA surveyed shipper (senders of goods) and logistics service provider members on rail freight service reliability, choice and service provision and comparison with other modes. The members surveyed included those dealing with import/export containers via ports, internal GB containerised transport, and international Channel Tunnel traffic.
The findings showed that: — the cost of rail freight compared to other modes such as road
had either stayed in line or decreased in the last 12 months
— service quality of rail freight had been stable in the last 12 months
— there is desire to use rail freight for a greater proportion of traffic, however:
• the range of services in terms of origins and destinations and frequency of trains had either remained the same or decreased in the last 12 months
• market choice in rail freight provision had either not changed or decreased in the last 12 months
• a better range of services is a key factor in enabling more use of rail freight services
So a mixed picture when the detail is looked at, with more work to be done. This fits with the evidence generated in FTA’s work with retailers in use of rail as part of their UK distribution operations. This revealed a clear wish to use rail more but also showed the key challenges to doing so, as outlined above.
This work showed that rail can play an effective and reliable role in supply chain operations. The Mode Shift Centre managed by FTA, provides a one-stop-shop for businesses looking to evaluate the opportunities and benefits that rail freight could provide for them.
Intermodal rail freight services are managed and provided through a series of commercial relationships between logistics providers, freight train operating companies and Network Rail. The Department for Transport continues to support some flows through revenue grant funding, and the Scottish government does likewise but also with capital facilities grant funding. The occasional complexity of these arrangements should not deter serious efforts to exploit the commercial and environmental benefits that rail freight offers. The FTA Mode Shift Centre demystifies rail freight for potential users and supplies reliable and accurate information for logistics managers wanting to answer the question ‘what can rail freight do for us?’ Staffed by experts with a wide network of industry and government contacts and information sources, the Mode Shift Centre can equip potential users with a working knowledge of current rail freight flows and spare capacity, identify terminal locations and capabilities, service and equipment providers, and potential contractors and operators.
To contact the Mode Shift Centre email
enquiries@modeshiftcentre.ork.uk or visit the website
www.modeshiftcentre.org.uk
Chris MacRae is rail freight policy manager at the Freight Transport Association
June 2013 Page 51
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132