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426 comments on DrumBeat: May 20, 2008

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garyp on May 21, 2008 - 4:13am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

Not so fast.

In the past 10 years it has grown by almost 50%, increasing its market share of surface transport to 11.5% and in so doing removing thousands of lorries from Britain's roads. In 2002/03 alone, rail freight moved the equivalent of 5.6 million lorry journeys and saved 1.4 billion lorry kilometres and a growth of just under 30% is forecast through to 2014/15.

http://www.rfg.org.uk/aboutfreight/

Now OK, the US rail freight level is much larger. However there are differences in distances etc. that account for 80% of that difference - plus of course rails being used for passengers are not available for freight.

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DaveMart on May 21, 2008 - 5:14am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

Water transport also pays a surprisingly large role in moving goods in the EU, and is poised to increase it's share.
For delivery vehicles EV's are being adopted:
http://www.j-sainsbury.co.uk/cr/index.asp?pageid=63&caseid=vans
J Sainsbury plc : Responsibility : Case studies : Case studies - Environment

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Sterling on May 21, 2008 - 10:57am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

"by 2000, the share of U.S. rail freight was 38% while in Europe only 8% of freight traveled by rail" -Wikipedia

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DaveMart on May 21, 2008 - 11:14am Permalink | Subthread | Parent | Comments top

They've messed it up pretty good:

‘Interoperability’ is the buzz word at these European wordfests but it can have a rather hollow meaning when the very way that the railways are being reorganised seems to ensure that they have less chance of bringing it about. Indeed, there has been a heavy price to pay for enforced separation because it has meant that some of the inherent advantages of the railways have been lost.

http://www.christianwolmar.co.uk/articles/rail/559.shtml

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426 comments on DrumBeat: May 20, 2008

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