Road Freight Statistics 2007

Road Freight Statistics 2007

• The domestic activity of GB-registered goods vehicles
• Freight moved by GB-registered heavy goods vehicles within Great Britain increased by 4 per cent between 2006 and 2007, from 156 billion tonne kilometres to 161 billion tonne kilometres.
• The 8 per cent increase between 1997 and 2007 in total freight moved was less than the rise in Gross Domestic Product over the same period (32 per cent).
• Articulated vehicles over 33 tonnes gross weight continue to account for an increasing share of all goods moved: 73 per cent of total tonne kilometres in 2007, compared with 65 per cent in 1997.
• The amount of freight lifted in 2007 (1,869 million tonnes) was three per cent above 2006 (1,813 million tonnes), and was 14 per cent above that in 1997.
• There has been a long term increase in overall average length of haul, from 68 kilometres in 1980 to 86 kilometres in 2007, peaking at 95 kilometres in 1999.
• Just over half of all goods (52 per cent) were lifted on a trip of 50 kilometres or less in 2007.

The international activity of UK-registered goods vehicles and the activity of foreign-registered goods vehicles in Great Britain

•  The total number of road goods vehicles of all nationalities travelling to mainland Europe in 2007 was 2,940 thousand, five per cent more than in 2006 and 56 per cent more than in 1997.  Powered vehicles accounted for 2,129 thousand of this total, an increase of five per cent since 2006 and 86 per cent since 1997.  The remaining vehicles were unaccompanied trailers; 811 thousand travelled to mainland Europe in 2007, a three per cent increase over 2006 and a 10 per cent increase since 1997.
• In 2007, 400 thousand of these powered vehicles were registered in the United Kingdom, two per cent less than in 2006 and 26 per cent fewer than in 1997.  UK-registered vehicles accounted for 19 per cent of all powered vehicles in 2007, compared with 20 per cent in 2006 and 48 per cent in 1997.
• The majority of powered vehicles use the Dover Straits, either by ferry or Channel Tunnel.  Of UK-registered vehicles, 80 per cent used the Dover Straits in 2007 compared with 77 per cent in 1997.
• In 2007, UK-registered vehicles carried 5.1 million tonnes of goods out of the UK, which is the same as in 2006, and is 33 per cent less than in 1997.  6.1 million tonnes of goods were carried into the UK, the same as in 2006, but 25 per cent less than in 1997.
• In 2007, goods moved out of the UK by UK-registered vehicles (4.2 billion tonne-kms) was the same as in 2006 but 49 per cent lower than in 1997.  Goods moved into the UK (4.5 billion tonne kms) were 4 per cent less than in 2006 and 46 per cent lower than in 1997.

Goods vehicle licensing and operators

• At the end of 2007 there were some 446 thousand goods vehicles over 3.5 tonnes registered in Great Britain, with 73 per cent being rigids.
• The number of goods vehicle operators has fallen over the last 10 years from 115 thousand in 1996/97 to 100 thousand in 2006/07.

 Environment and safety

• In 2007 rigid goods vehicles travelled, on average 9.4 miles per gallon (mpg), whilst articulated vehicles travelled 8.0 mpg.
• Greenhouse gas emissions from road freight transport rose by 2.5 per cent between 1996 and 2006. However, this is lower than the 5.8 per cent increase in the amount of goods moved and the 11.4 per cent increase in goods lifted over the same period.
• Between 1997 and 2007 there was a 42 per cent reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured in reported personal injury accidents involving at least one HGV.

Notes to editors

• This is the third edition of Road Freight Statistics and brings together in one annual publication the main series on the activities of UK-registered heavy goods vehicles, both domestically and internationally, and the non-UK registered heavy goods vehicles in Great Britain.  It has therefore superseded the following previous publications: The Transport of Goods by Road in Great Britain, International Road Haulage Statistics (this used to appear as an annual supplement in the first quarter edition of the quarterly Statistics Bulletin Roads Goods Bulletin Travelling to Mainland Europe) and the Survey of Company Van Activity.
• It should be noted that since the last edition there have been minor revisions to domestic activity data for 2006. There have been significant downward revisions in the level of international activity recorded by UK-registered vehicles. In particular the UK share of powered vehicles travelling to mainland Europe in 2006 had been previously estimated to be 26 per cent but now this has been revised to 20 per cent. Consequently, the amount of international goods lifted into the UK by UK-registered vehicles in 2006 was previously published as 8.3 million tonnes but is now revised to 6.1 million tonnes. The amount of international goods lifted out of the UK was previously published as 6.8 million tonnes but is now revised to 5.1 million tonnes.
• The Department has also released today a statistical bulletin ‘Roads Goods Vehicles Travelling to Mainland Europe: Q1 & Q2 2008’.

We would welcome suggestions for changes to the Road Freight Statistics publication that would help to improve its usefulness.  Please contact Stephen Reynolds, Zone 2/26, Great Minster House, 76 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DR. Tel. 020 7944 3093. Email stephen.reynolds@dft.gsi.gov.uk.

Publication details

Published on 28 August 2008 by Transport Statistics.

Available by telephone order on +44 (0)20 7944 4261.

Email roadfreight.stats@dft.gov.uk for queries

For information about release of this product see National Statistics Online.