A new report, 'Building Better with Rail Freight in Greater Manchester', has been published by the Mineral Products Association (MPA) and the Rail Freight Group (RFG), making the case for increased use of rail over road for the transport of construction materials in Greater Manchester (UK). The report outlines the economic and environmental benefits of rail freight, particularly for materials such as aggregates and cement.
The report highlights the significant carbon efficiency of rail freight, noting that it typically produces 76% less carbon dioxide than equivalent road journeys. In addition, a single aggregate train can carry a load equivalent to around 125 lorries, providing a significant opportunity to reduce road congestion and emissions.
Currently, MPA members supply around 200 million tonnes of aggregates and nine million tonnes of cement annually to meet UK demand. Of this, around 10% is transported by rail, although mineral products are the second largest market segment on the rail network after containerized intermodal freight. The MPA and RFG believe that there is significant potential to increase the use of rail for building materials, which would lead to a reduction in lorry miles and carbon emissions.
The report outlines various steps that the minerals and rail freight industries are taking to achieve this growth. It also details how the UK's local and national government, together with Network Rail, can support these ambitions. Key issues identified include protecting land for urban rail terminals, ensuring affordable and competitive track access charges, prioritizing timetable slots for freight, and supporting decarbonization initiatives such as electrification.
Maggie Simpson, Director General of the Rail Freight Group, highlighted the role of rail freight in supporting Greater Manchester's rapidly growing economy and ongoing investment in new homes, offices, and infrastructure. She noted: “Rail freight is already helping to minimize the carbon emissions of this construction, and with the right policy environment in place our members will be able to transport more products by rail into the region, reducing the number of lorries on our roads.”
