Scottish Transport Statistics No 34 2015 Edition

Road Freight

Road Freight

1. Introduction

1.1 This chapter provides information about road freight lifted by UK-registered heavy goods vehicles (HGVs: over 3.5 tonnes gross weight), such as the weight of goods lifted in Scotland by origin and destination, the lengths of haul, the destinations within the UK and Europe, and the types of commodity lifted.

1.2 A change in methodology by the Department for Transport (DfT) in 2003 Continuous Survey of Road Goods Transport has resulted in a discontinuity in the series. Therefore road freight transported within the UK from 2004 onwards is not comparable with earlier years.

2. Main Points

Good Lifted & Distance

2.1 In 2014, an estimated 123.4 million tonnes of goods were lifted within Scotland by UK HGVs and transported to destinations within Scotland. About 13.9 million tonnes of goods from Scotland were delivered to destinations elsewhere in the UK, and around 18.4 million tonnes were brought into Scotland from elsewhere in the UK. In comparison, the volume of international road freight by UK HGVs travelling to and from Scotland is very small: less than 1 million tonnes in 2014. (Table 3.1)

2.2 Most road freight journeys are 50 kilometres or less in length: 28% of tonnes lifted by road in Scotland in 2014 were carried a distance of no more than 25 kilometres, and 27% travelled over 25 km but no more than 50 km. The average journey distance, which is calculated by dividing the total tonne-kilometres by the total tonnes lifted, was 89 km. (Table 3.2)

Originating in Scotland

2.3 Goods moved on journeys originating in Scotland with a destination in Scotland accounted for around 7.7 billion tonne-kilometres in 2014. The overall total, including journeys with destinations elsewhere in the UK and abroad, was around 12.6 billion tonne-kms, an increase on the same figure for 2013. The index of the road freight intensity of the Scottish economy (see section 3.8) has been falling in most of the past ten years. (Table 3.3)

Entering Scotland

2.4 In 2014, 18.4 million tonnes of goods entered Scotland on UK HGVs from the rest of the UK. 97% of these came from England. Around three quarters of the goods entering came from the North West (47%), Yorkshire and Humber (16%) and North East (16%) regions of England. Fewer goods leave Scotland for other UK countries (13.9 million tonnes) than enter from them but the proportions going to and coming from different areas are similar (Table 3.6). 2.5 In 2014, 'metal ore and other mining and quarrying' was the largest single category of goods lifted in Scotland, which remained in Scotland, accounting for 24.5 million tonnes out of the total of 123.4 million tonnes. (Table 3.4)

Destination

2.6 In 2014, UK-registered HGVs carried an estimated 249 thousand tonnes of goods from Scotland to countries outwith the UK, and 108 thousand tonnes from foreign countries into Scotland. Of goods leaving Scotland for abroad, carried by UK road hauliers, 47% went to France, 17% to Germany and 10% to the Netherlands. For goods entering Scotland from abroad, carried by UK road hauliers, 31% came from Belgium and Luxembourg and 29% from France. (Table 3.7)

2.7 In 2014, around 3% of goods leaving the UK lifted by UK HGVs originated in Scotland. However, Scotland provided 6% of agricultural products and 6% of food products leaving the UK (Table 3.5)

2.8 Generally in the period from 2010 to 2014, goods transported by UK-registered HGVs within Scotland were on journeys that started and finished within the same region. The Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) was the most active in terms of tonnage entering and leaving. There were 113 million tonnes on journeys within Scotland and 43 million of these were on journeys beginning in the SPT area (Table 3.8).

Fig. 3.1 Goods lifted by road; entering and leaving Scotland to or from rest of GB, 2014

Fig. 3.1 Goods lifted by road; entering and leaving Scotland to or from rest of GB, 2014

Table 3.1 Goods lifted by UK HGVs by origin and destination of journey 2
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
million tonnes
a) On journeys originating in Scotland
by destination:
Scotland 158.7 152.7 155.5 159.8 144.2 118.8 116.8 130.3 136.6 122.4 123.4
Elsewhere in UK
England 14.0 12.0 13.2 15.8 11.4 12.2 13.9 12.9 12.7 12.8 13.6
Wales * 0.2 0.6 0.5 0.6 * 0.8 * * * *
Northern Ireland 0.3 0.2 0.4 * 0.3 0.2 0.1 * 0.7 0.2 0.1
Total elsewhere in UK 14.5 12.5 14.2 16.4 12.3 12.6 14.8 13.6 13.7 13.2 13.9
Outwith UK1,3 0.5 0.4 0.4 0.6 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.2
Total 173.7 165.6 170.0 176.8 157.0 131.9 131.9 144.2 150.6 135.8 137.6
b) On journeys with Scottish destinations
by origin of journey:
Scotland 158.7 152.7 155.5 159.8 144.2 118.8 116.8 130.3 136.6 122.4 123.4
Elsewhere in UK
England 17.5 16.7 18.6 21.2 17.1 15.5 17.3 16.8 19.0 16.0 17.9
Wales * 0.5 0.2 0.6 0.3 * 0.4 * * * *
Northern Ireland 0.2 0.2 0.1 * 0.3 0.4 0.2 0.3 0.5 * 0.2
Total elsewhere in UK 17.9 17.4 18.9 21.9 17.7 16.0 17.9 17.5 19.8 16.4 18.4
Outwith UK1,3 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1
Total 176.9 170.4 174.6 182.0 162.2 134.9 134.9 147.9 156.6 138.9 141.9

Source: DfT Road Freight Statistics
1. The 'Outwith UK' figures include an element of doublecounting as figures include both the domestic and international legs of the journey.
2. Due to changes in the methodology and processing system used by the Department for Transport, 2004 and post-2004 figures are not comparable with pre-2004 figures. These figures include goods lifted by Northern Irish-based HGVs, so are slightly higher than those appearing in DfT's Road Freight Statisics.
* = Sample too small for a reliable estimate

Table 3.2 Goods lifted by UK HGVs in Scotland, with destinations within the UK, by length of haul, 2014
Length of haul (kilometres)
>0-
25		 >25-
50		 > 50-
100		 >100-
150		 >150-
200		 >200-
300		 >300-
400		 >400-
500		 >500 All
Tonnes
millions 39.0 36.8 27.2 10.0 5.2 10.1 4.7 2.3 2.1 137.3
percentage 28 27 20 7 4 7 3 2 2 100
Tonne-kilometres
millions 524 1,348 1,914 1,227 903 2,495 1,603 1,002 1,272 12,288
percentage 4 11 16 10 7 20 13 8 10 100

Source: DfT Road Freight Statistics

Table 3.3 Goods moved by UK HGVs by destination, and the economy's road freight intensity
2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014
million tonne-kilometres
a) On journeys originating in Scotland
by destination:
Scotland 9,059 8,444 8,282 8,402 8,321 6,788 7,173 8,360 8,139 7,773 7,700
Elsewhere in UK
England 5,367 4,405 4,859 5,654 4,208 4,199 4,708 4,087 3,854 4,246 4,507
Wales * 146 317 207 273 * 351 * * * *
Northern Ireland 63 34 87 * 49 30 18 * 130 25 36
Total elsewhere in UK 5,544 4,585 5,263 5,880 4,530 4,345 5,077 4,396 4,190 4,357 4,588
Outwith UK 2 592 477 412 668 533 519 445 370 366 312 276
Total 15,195 13,507 13,957 14,950 13,384 11,652 12,695 13,126 12,694 12,442 12,563
b) On journeys with Scottish destinations
by origin of journey:
Scotland 9,059 8,444 8,282 8,402 8,321 6,788 7,173 8,360 8,139 7,773 7,700
Elsewhere in UK
England 6,413 6,251 6,804 7,156 5,801 5,393 5,888 5,348 5,570 5,392 6,026
Wales * 235 142 329 201 * 212 * * * *
Northern Ireland 34 45 16 * 77 32 32 65 101 * 58
Total elsewhere in UK 6,536 6,531 6,962 7,509 6,080 5,460 6,132 5,563 5,854 5,553 6,207
Outwith UK 2 276 246 181 290 233 176 170 119 130 124 103
Total 15,870 15,221 15,425 16,201 14,634 12,424 13,475 14,042 14,123 13,451 14,009
c) The road freight intensity of the Scottish economy - an index of the ratio of the index of road freight tonne-kilometres to the index of Gross Domestic Product
Road freight moved by UK HGVs on journeys originating in Scotland million tonne-kilometres
volume 15,195 13,507 13,957 14,950 13,384 11,652 12,695 13,126 12,694 12,442 12,563
index, 2004 = 100
Index: 2004 = 100 100.0 88.9 91.9 98.4 88.1 76.7 83.5 86.4 83.5 81.9 82.7
Scottish Gross Domestic Product (Gross Value Added for all industries)1
Index: 2012 = 100 95.5 97.0 101.1 102.3 101.9 98.8 99.0 99.7 100 101.8 104.5
Index: 2004=100 100.0 101.6 105.9 107.1 106.7 103.5 103.7 104.4 104.7 106.6 109.4
Road freight intensity
Index: 2004 = 100 100.0 87.5 86.8 91.8 82.5 74.1 80.6 82.7 79.8 76.8 75.6

Source: DfT Road Freight Statistics
1. Scottish GDP figures are as published 21 January 2015.
* = Sample too small for a reliable estimate
Note: GDP figures available table 5 here http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Economy/GDP/Findings

Table 3.4 Goods lifted or moved by UK HGVs, for journeys within the UK with a Scottish origin or destination, by commodity, 2014
  Goods
remaining
in Scotland		 Goods
entering
Scotland
from rest
of UK		 Goods
leaving
Scotland
for rest
of UK
thousand tonnes
Products of agriculture, forestry, raw materials
Agricultural products 11,237 1,178 3,531
Coal and lignite 1,389 999 *
Metal ore and other mining and quarrying 24,461 * *
Subtotal 37,086 2,665 4,306
Food products, including beverages and tobacco
Food products 20,654 5,220 2,664
Textile, leather and wood products
Textiles and textile products; leather and leather products 492 * *
Wood products 5,205 927 1,799
Subtotal 5,697 1,331 1,993
Metal, mineral and chemical products
Coke and refined petroleum products 7,877 * *
Chemical products 2,123 1,404 579
Glass, cement and other non-metallic mineral products 11,968 1,632 *
Metal products 1,240 1,045 *
Subtotal 23,208 4,578 1,738
Machinery and equipment, consumer durables
Machinery and equipment 1,802 * *
Transport equipment 979 394 *
Furniture 709 * *
Subtotal 3,491 847 396
Other products
Waste related products 9,982 * *
Mail, parcels 1,039 601 *
Empty containers, pallets and other packaging 2,297 161 266
Household and office removals 5,846 * *
Grouped goods 10,668 2,049 1,046
Unidentifiable goods 2,889 * *
Other goods 582 * *
Subtotal 33,304 3,750 2,776
Total all commodities 123,441 18,391 13,873
million tonne kms
Products of agriculture, forestry, raw materials
Agricultural products 859 404 1,008
Coal and lignite 96 196 *
Metal ore and other mining and quarrying 913 * *
Subtotal 1,868 771 1,255
Food products, including beverages and tobacco
Food products 1,728 1,851 981
Textile, leather and wood products
Textiles and textile products; leather and leather products 48 * *
Wood products 483 339 587
Subtotal 531 471 648
Metal, mineral and chemical products
Coke and refined petroleum products 685 * *
Chemical products 225 461 179
Glass, cement and other non-metallic mineral products 423 504 *
Metal products 106 397 *
Subtotal 1,438 1,543 553
Machinery and equipment, consumer durables
Machinery and equipment 138 * *
Transport equipment 81 173 *
Furniture 50 * *
Subtotal 269 379 170
Other products
Waste related products 417 * *
Mail, parcels 104 189 *
Empty containers, pallets and other packaging 133 67 82
Household and office removals 257 * *
Grouped goods 843 591 366
Unidentifiable goods 95 * *
Other goods 18 * *
Subtotal 1,865 1,191 981
       
Total all commodities 7,700 6,207 4,588

* = Sample too small for a reliable estimate

Table 3.5 Goods lifted or moved by UK HGVs, for journeys entering or leaving the UK by commodity, 2014 1
Goods entering UK Goods leaving UK
Total
entering
UK		 of which:
entering
Scotland		 Total
leaving
UK 		of which:
leaving
Scotland
thousand tonnes
Products of agriculture, forestry, raw materials
Agricultural products 881 * 1,326 78
Coal and lignite * * 329 *
Metal ore and other mining and quarrying 501 * 557 *
Subtotal 1,401 * 2,213 78
Food products, including beverages and tobacco
Food products 1,858 51 1,639 99
Textile, leather and wood products
Textiles and textile products; leather and leather products 40 * 117 *
Wood products 150 * 325 *
Subtotal 190 * 442 *
Metal, mineral and chemical products
Coke and refined petroleum products 142 * * *
Chemical products 594 * 571 *
Glass, cement and other non-metallic mineral products 498 * 594 *
Metal products 107 * 314 *
Subtotal 1,342 * 1,492 *
Machinery and equipment, consumer durables
Machinery and equipment 316 * 399 *
Transport equipment 217 * 162 *
Furniture 25 * 125 *
Subtotal 558 * 686 *
Other products
Waste related products * * 235 *
Mail, parcels 137 * 191 *
Empty containers, pallets and other packaging 222 * 151 *
Household and office removals 209 * 282 *
Grouped goods 1,347 * 1,699 *
Unidentifiable goods 125 * 202 *
Other goods 28 * 39 *
Subtotal 2,225 15 2,799 17
Total for journeys outwith UK 7,574 108 9,272 249
million tonne kms
Products of agriculture, forestry, raw materials
Agricultural products 304 * 338 81
Coal and lignite * * 65 *
Metal ore and other mining and quarrying 102 * 97 *
Subtotal 409 * 501 81
Food products, including beverages and tobacco
Food products 870 44 655 86
Textile, leather and wood products
Textiles and textile products; leather and leather products 31 * 85 *
Wood products 60 * 126 *
Subtotal 91 * 211 *
Metal, mineral and chemical products
Coke and refined petroleum products 72 * * *
Chemical products 330 * 411 *
Glass, cement and other non-metallic mineral products 134 * 126 *
Metal products 63 * 171 *
Subtotal 600 * 713 *
Machinery and equipment, consumer durables
Machinery and equipment 203 * 302 *
Transport equipment 179 * 130 *
Furniture 20 * 64 *
Subtotal 402 * 495 *
Other products
Waste related products * * 73 *
Mail, parcels 59 * 98 *
Empty containers, pallets and other packaging 119 * 77 *
Household and office removals 167 * 198 *
Grouped goods 559 * 595 *
Unidentifiable goods 74 * 77 *
Other goods * * * *
Subtotal 1,016 19 1,136 24
Total for journeys outwith UK 3,388 103 3,712 276

1. These figures include vehicles travelling between Northern Ireland and Ireland, so are higher than those appearing in DfT's Road Freight Statisics
* = Sample too small for a reliable estimate

Table 3.6 Goods lifted or moved by UK HGVs, entering or leaving Scotland, to or from rest of UK, by origins and destinations of journeys, 2014
Goods entering
Scotland		 Goods leaving
Scotland		 Goods entering
Scotland		 Goods leaving
Scotland
thousand tonnes million tonne kms
Origin / destination of journey
England
North East 2,937 2,554 738 616
North West 8,556 5,650 2,321 1,481
Yorkshire & the Humber 3,023 2,500 1,128 922
East Midlands 1,249 934 643 411
West Midlands 1,147 994 535 452
East * 641 * 392
London * * * *
South East * * * *
South West * * * *
Total England 17,917 13,627 6,026 4,507
Wales * * * *
Northern Ireland 249 142 58 36
Total elsewhere in UK 18,391 13,873 6,207 4,588

* = Sample too small for a reliable estimate

Table 3.7 Goods lifted or moved by UK HGVs, entering or leaving Scotland, to or from outwith UK, by origins and destinations of journeys, 2014
Goods
entering
Scotland		 Goods
leaving
Scotland		 Goods
entering
Scotland		 Goods
leaving
Scotland
thousand tonnes thousand tonne kms
Origin / destination of journey
EU countries
Austria * * * *
Belgium & Luxembourg 34 * 30,503 *
Bulgaria * * * *
Croatia * * * *
Cyprus * * * *
Czech Republic * * * *
Denmark * * * *
Estonia * * * *
Finland * * * *
France 31 117 33,726 134,161
Germany * 43 * 49,926
Greece * * * *
Hungary * * * *
Ireland * * * *
Italy * 11 * 26,917
Latvia * * * *
Lithuania * * * *
Malta * * * *
Netherlands * 25 * 14,538
Poland * * * *
Portugal * * * *
Romania * * * *
Slovakia * * * *
Slovenia * * * *
Spain * * * *
Sweden * * * *
Total EU countries 106 239 99,928 262,626
Other countries * * * *
Total outwith UK 108 249 102,587 275,618

* = Sample too small for a reliable estimate

Table 3.8 Average Freight lifted by UK HGVs per year (2010-2014): Journeys with U.K. origins and destinations which either started or ended in Scotland
Journey Ended In
ZetTrans HITRANS NESTRANS TACTRAN SESTRAN SPT SWestrans SCOTLAND Elsewhere in UK Total
Journey Started In: Thousand tonnes
ZetTrans 571 * * * * * * 571 * 571
HITRANS * 9,991 293 287 307 430 * 11,454 256 11,710
NESTRANS * 503 6,510 670 243 314 * 8,255 302 8,557
TACTRAN * 463 540 6,000 1,959 1,224 190 10,377 1,890 12,267
SESTRAN * 572 802 2,758 22,945 6,427 575 34,079 4,461 38,540
SPT * 686 576 959 6,004 33,451 1,135 42,812 6,250 49,062
SWestrans * * * 216 353 1,436 3,344 5,447 2,606 8,053
SCOTLAND 571 12,234 8,801 10,891 31,811 43,283 5,404 112,995 15,766 128,761
Elsewhere in UK * 220 232 1,509 6,136 8,001 3,106 19,205 1,429,667 1,448,872
TOTAL 571 12,454 9,034 12,400 37,947 51,285 8,510 132,200 1,445,433 1,577,633