29.4.2026| Industry matters
Rail freight set for 75% growth as UK strategy shifts to intermodalRail Freight Group report positions rail at the centre of economic growth, supply chain resilience and decarbonisation – but warns that coordination will be key to delivery.
Rail freight is firmly at the heart of the UK’s future logistics strategy, with a new report from the Rail Freight Group setting out an ambition to increase volumes by 75% by 2050.
The Freight Forward report highlights rail’s expanding role in supporting domestic supply chains, reducing emissions and enabling economic growth, as pressure mounts on road networks and sustainability targets tighten.
Rail already handles a significant share of containerised port traffic and is expected to play an increasingly important role as infrastructure, construction and energy projects accelerate across the UK.
However, the report makes clear that growth at this scale will require more than demand. Investment in infrastructure, terminal capacity and network capability will be critical, alongside closer alignment among ports, operators and logistics providers.
In the intermodal sector, the direction is clear: rail is moving from a complementary mode to a central pillar of UK freight. But delivering on that ambition will depend on how effectively the industry can coordinate an increasingly complex intermodal network.
Image: Courtesy of the Port of Felixstowe
