OFFICE of Rail and Road (ORR) statistics highlight another drop in the volume of UK railfreight traffic in the first quarter of 2017/18.
A total of 18.7 million tonnes was lifted by the seven freight-operating companies active on the British network in Q1, a drop of 3% over the same period in 2016/17. The total was also the lowest since the current series of records started in 1996/97.
Freight train kilometres also fell by 2%, to eight million, the lowest since 2010/11. DB Cargo and Freightliner Heavy Haul recorded their lowest totals since ORR records began (3.6m km and 0.5m km, respectively), with DBC losing 5% and FHH traffic kilometres dropping by 20%.
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However, Freightliner Intermodal and GB Railfreight increased their totals by 3% and 7%, respectively.
Freightliner Intermodal and DB Cargo account for just over 70% of British freight kilometres in the period reported.
Domestic intermodal traffic dropped by 1%, with petrochemicals down by 5% and coal by 4%, but metals volumes were up by 3%, and construction increased by 2% over last year.
Delays to freight trains also increased by 3% over last year, rising to 10 minutes per 100 train kilometres.
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