At Network Rail, we’re driving investment in rail freight because it’s the future. We’re working with partners to evolve the freight estate to meet the growing demand from new end users and to achieve the Governments 2050 rail freight growth target.

Working with Network Rail freight

Working with us

We look after over 250 freight sites nationwide. These host a variety of businesses, all of which have chosen to put rail at the heart of their production and supply chain systems.

These businesses have invested in building freight stations that enable goods and materials to load on and off freight trains. This investment means their goods and materials can keep moving in a more sustainable way.

A sustainable economy

  • Rail freight contributes £2.45bn to the British economy each year, supporting communities throughout Britain with 90% of the economic benefits flowing outside of London and the South East.
  • It also produces 76% less CO2 than the equivalent road journey and saves around 1.4 million tonnes of CO2 emissions annually.
  • Rail (passenger & freight) produces around 1% of Great Britain’s transport emissions, despite carrying around 8% of all freight.
Network Rail Freight train on the coast
Freight train carrying fuel

Freight in numbers

  • Around 600 freight trains run every single day.
  • One jumbo train can carry up to the equivalent of up to 129 HGVs worth goods.
  • A single freight train can carry the amount of fuel needed to power a city the size of York for a day or transport 100,000 parcels.