It is now estimated that around 25% of all imported goods arriving into ports in the UK are now delivered across the country by rail freight. There are reports of a continuing shift from using Lorries and road bearing vehicles to trains as an attractive method of delivery as increasing fuel prices together with improvements in the way cargo is managed makes road freight more expensive. Any future significant increase is said by the spokesman from the campaign group Freight on Rail to need infrastructure developments such as rail/road interchanges where goods can be transferred from rail to road and vice versa.
Companies researching providers of rail freight services need to look at the range of services provided by shipping companies for road and rail transshipment, whether these can manage a range of goods containers from conventional rail wagons to containers, swap bodies and tanks. Businesses often will require a full range of receipt and dispatch facilities, from loading to delivery.
Businesses will also need efficient shipping services and so road- rail freight distribution will need to connect with major ports, in some cases companies will handle all transfer services road, rail and shipping. Sometimes these are handled by third party companies such as Logistic specialists that will provide an appropriate overall service linking different transportation suppliers, whether road haulage or rail freight or shipping companies appropriate to the countries where goods are to be transported to.