Delivering the goods

Alexandra Herdman, Public Policy Manager, Logistics UK, provides an overview of the newly created GBRTT, its objectives, and how it could help grow rail freight opportunities in Great Britain

The Great British Railways Transition Team (GBRTT) – the group responsible for creating Great British Railways, the new public body that will run and plan the rail network – has launched a call for evidence to support a 30-year, Whole Industry Strategic Plan. The call for evidence is the GBRTT’s first step towards providing clear, long-term plans for transforming the railways, and represents a golden opportunity to help shape the future of this mode for the coming decades.

Five objectives to create a better, simpler railway The GBRTT, which will pave the way for the transition to the future of rail, will focus initially on driving revenue recovery efforts post-pandemic, adopting a whole industry approach to tackling cost and promoting efficiency, and establishing a strategic freight unit to boost the sector. GBRTT is asking stakeholders to provide their views on how rail can contribute to five strategic objectives set by government: meeting customers’ needs; delivering financial sustainability; contributing to long-term economic growth; levelling up and connectivity; and delivering environmental sustainability.

Backed by the private sector, the call for evidence on the Strategic Plan asks how the rail industry can play a part in boosting Britain’s economy, providing access to new jobs and opportunities and making the railways a keystone in the UK’s plans to build back better and greener. Experts from across the rail and transport industry and beyond have been invited to submit evidence to ensure this first-of-its-kind strategy will receive contributions from a wide range of stakeholders and Logistics UK is currently polling members for their opinions on the overall proposals. The development of a Strategic Plan was a commitment first made in the May 2021 Williams-Shapps Plan for Rail.

Ensuring rail keeps up with modern life Social distancing restrictions under the Covid-19 pandemic led to a significant decline in the number of passenger rail journeys taken in Great Britain and as the country starts to recover, it is becoming increasingly clear that working patterns have changed for ever, with the ‘five day a week commute’ seemingly a thing of the past and many employers adopting for hybrid- or home-working models.

At Logistics UK we see this as an opportunity to shift more freight onto rail and take HGVs off our roads for the benefit of businesses, customers, and the environment. This call for evidence from the GBRTT thus represents a unique opportunity to shape the railways post-pandemic and ensure rail freight offers a strong alternative to road transport, as well as fit for the future of British logistics. Rail freight has been disadvantaged historically by complex systems of decision making involving various rail bodies; Logistics UK supports the creation of Great British Railways and the GBRTT in principle; both have the potential to shatter this obstacle and foster more unified decisions for freight, as well as ensuring the requirements of logistics are not side lined for rail passenger needs. Given the enhanced role rail freight is set to play in UK logistics as the economy transitions to net zero emissions, it is vital that the GBRTT sets the foundation for a strong future for rail freight.

Logistics UK will be making a detailed submission to this call for evidence and plans to work closely with GBRTT to ensure every opportunity to grow and improve rail freight in Great Britain is seized.

Logistics UK is one of the UK’s leading business groups, representing logistics businesses which are vital to keeping the UK trading, and more than seven million people directly employed in the making, selling and moving of goods. With Covid-19, Brexit, new technology and other disruptive forces driving change in the way goods move across borders and through the supply chain, logistics has never been more important to UK plc. Logistics UK supports, shapes and stands up for safe and efficient logistics, and is the only business group which represents the whole industry, with members from the road, rail, sea and air industries, as well as the buyers of freight services such as retailers and manufacturers whose businesses depend on the efficient movement of goods. For more information about the organisation and its work, including its ground-breaking research into the impacts of Covid-19 on the whole supply chain, please visit logistics.org.uk.