Despite an overall fall in the volume of freight moved by rail in recent years, the aggregates industry has increased the proportion of its total output transported to market this way.
This is expected to increase as more depots have recently opened and others are planned, reports
These are some of the findings of a new sector report, published for the first time, by BDS, entitled Estimated outputs of aggregates moved through rail depots in Great Britain.
“Since the recession, aggregates companies have increased the share of output moved by rail by over 65%” says Andy Sales, author of the report.
“We are expecting this to increase in the next few years following the recent activity in new facilities being opened and planned.”
The BDS report estimates that over 16 million tonnes of aggregates were transported to a network of over 70 separate rail depots in 2015. Facilities in the south-east of England were the main recipient of this material, predominantly in the form of crushed rock, of which it has limited reserves. The region accounts for around 70% of the total volume handled at rail depots.
The ability to transfer road movements to the rail network is attractive to both aggregates companies and the government as they each continue their efforts to improve their sustainability credentials and reductions in carbon emissions.
The report estimates the volumes and market shares of all of the companies operating aggregates rail depots by county, region and nationally. It also includes information on newly-opened and planned rail depots.
Further details of the report are available by contacting Andy Sales at +44 (0)1761) 433035; <%$Linker:
