Chapter 3: Road Freight

Chapter 3: Road Freight

Chapter 3: Road Freight - Infographic

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 2015, an estimated 136.7 million tonnes of goods were lifted within Scotland by UK HGVs and transported to destinations within Scotland.  About 16 million tonnes of goods from Scotland were delivered to destinations elsewhere in the UK, and around 19.8 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 2015. (Table 3.1)

2.2 Most road freight journeys are 50 kilometres or less in length: 24% of tonnes lifted by road in Scotland in 2015 were carried a distance of no more than 25 kilometres, and 31% 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 92 km.  (Table 3.2)

Originating in Scotland

2.3 Goods moved on journeys originating in Scotland with a destination in Scotland accounted for around 8.5 billion tonne-kilometres in 2015. The overall total, including journeys with destinations elsewhere in the UK and abroad, was around 14.4 billion tonne-kms, an increase of 15% on 2014. 

Entering Scotland

2.4 In 2015, 20.4 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 (38%), Yorkshire and Humber (17%) and North East (22%) regions of England. Fewer goods leave Scotland for other UK countries (17 million tonnes) than enter from them but the proportions going to and coming from different areas are similar (Table 3.6). 

2.5 In 2015, ‘metal ore and other mining and quarrying’ was the largest single category of goods lifted in Scotland, which remained in Scotland, accounting for 34.8 million tonnes out of the total of 136.7 million tonnes.  (Table 3.4)

Destination

2.6 In 2015, UK-registered HGVs carried an estimated 234 thousand tonnes of goods from Scotland to countries outwith the UK, and 161 thousand tonnes from foreign countries into Scotland.  Of goods leaving Scotland for abroad, carried by UK road hauliers, 41% went to France, 21% to the Netherlands and 9% to Belgium and Luxembourg.  For goods entering Scotland from abroad, carried by UK road hauliers, 45% came from France. (Table 3.7)

2.7 In 2015, around 3% of goods leaving the UK lifted by UK HGVs originated in Scotland.  However, Scotland provided 8% of machinery and equipment, consumer durables and  3% of food products leaving the UK (Table 3.5)

2.8 Generally in the period from 2011 to 2015, 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 124 million tonnes on journeys within Scotland and 44 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, 2015

Fig. 3.1 Goods lifted by road; entering and leaving Scotland to or from rest of GB, 2015

 

Table 3.1  Goods lifted by UK HGVs by origin and destination of journey2
  2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
  million tonnes
a) On journeys originating in Scotland
by destination:
Scotland 152.7 155.5 159.8 144.2 118.8 116.8 130.3 136.6 122.4 123.4 136.7
Elsewhere in UK
England 12.0 13.2 15.8 11.4 12.2 13.9 12.9 12.7 12.8 13.6 16.0
Wales 0.2 0.6 0.5 0.6 * 0.8 * * * * *
Northern Ireland 0.2 0.4 * 0.3 0.2 0.1 * 0.7 0.2 0.1 0.5
Total elsewhere in UK 12.5 14.2 16.4 12.3 12.6 14.8 13.6 13.7 13.2 13.9 17
Outwith UK1,3 0.4 0.4 0.6 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.2
Total  165.6 170.0 176.8 157.0 131.9 131.9 144.2 150.6 135.8 137.6 153.9
b) On journeys with Scottish destinations
by origin of journey:
Scotland 152.7 155.5 159.8 144.2 118.8 116.8 130.3 136.6 122.4 123.4 136.7
Elsewhere in UK
England 16.7 18.6 21.2 17.1 15.5 17.3 16.8 19.0 16.0 17.9 19.8
Wales 0.5 0.2 0.6 0.3 * 0.4 * * * * *
Northern Ireland 0.2 0.1 * 0.3 0.4 0.2 0.3 0.5 * 0.2 0.5
Total elsewhere in UK 17.4 18.9 21.9 17.7 16.0 17.9 17.5 19.8 16.4 18.4 20.4
Outwith UK1,3 0.2 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2
Total  170.4 174.6 182.0 162.2 134.9 134.9 147.9 156.6 138.9 141.9 157.3

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, 2015
  Length of haul (kilometres)
>0-25 >25-50 > 50-100 >100-150 >150-200 >200-300 >300-400 >400-500 >500 All
Tonnes
millions 37.6 47.6 28.3 13.5 6.6 9.5 5.1 2.3 3.0 153.7
percentage 24 31 18 9 4 6 3 1 2 100
Tonne-kilometres
millions 560 1,727 2,023 1,660 1,164 2,374 1,749 1,028 1,914 14,199
percentage 4 12 14 12 8 17 12 7 13 100

Source: DfT Road Freight Statistics

 

Table 3.3  Goods moved by UK HGVs by destination, and the economy's road freight intensity
  2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015
a) On journeys originating in Scotland
by destination:    
Scotland  8,444   8,282   8,402   8,321   6,788  7,173 8,360 8,139 7,773 7,700 8,476
Elsewhere in UK                      
England  4,405   4,859   5,654   4,208   4,199  4,708 4,087 3,854 4,246 4,507 5,428
Wales  146   317   207   273   *  351 * * * * *
Northern Ireland  34   87   *   49   30  18 * 130 25 36 77
Total elsewhere in UK  4,585   5,263   5,880   4,530   4,345  5,077 4,396 4,190 4,357 4,588 5,723
Outwith UK 2  477   412   668   533   519  445 370 366 312 276 240
Total   13,507   13,957   14,950   13,384   11,652  12,695 13,126 12,694 12,442 12,563 14,438
b) On journeys with Scottish destinations
by origin of journey:
Scotland  8,444   8,282   8,402   8,321   6,788  7,173 8,360 8,139 7,773 7,700 8,476
Elsewhere in UK                      
England  6,251   6,804   7,156   5,801   5,393  5,888 5,348 5,570 5,392 6,026 6,616
Wales  235   142   329   201   *  212 * * * * *
Northern Ireland  45   16   *   77   32  32 65 101 * 58 107
Total elsewhere in UK  6,531   6,962   7,509   6,080   5,460  6,132 5,563 5,854 5,553 6,207 6,809
Outwith UK 2  246   181   290   233   176  170 119 130 124 103 186
Total   15,221   15,425   16,201   14,634   12,424  13,475 14,042 14,123 13,451 14,009 15,470
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  13,507   13,957   14,950   13,384   11,652   12,695   13,126   12,694   12,442   12,563   14,438 
index, 2005 = 100
Index: 2005 = 100>  100.0   103.3   110.7   99.1   86.3   94.0   97.2   94.0   92.1   93.0   106.9 
Scottish Gross Domestic Product (Gross Value Added for all industries)1
Index: 2005=100  100.0   103.5   104.1   103.7   101.4   101.6   102.7   102.7   105.0   107.8   110.1 
Road freight intensity                      
Index: 2005 = 100  100.0   99.9   106.4   95.5   85.1   92.5   94.6   91.5   87.7   86.3   97.1 

Source: DfT Road Freight Statistics
1.  Scottish GDP figures are as published 18 January 2017.
* = 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
Note: discontinuities in the series (denoted by lines) are described in detail within the methodology note; comparisons across years where methodological changes have occurred should be treated with caution.
Methodology note

 

Table 3.4 Goods lifted or moved by UK HGVs, for journeys within the UK with a Scottish origin or destination, by commodity, 2015 
  Goods remaining in Scotland Goods entering Scotland for rest of UK Goods leaving Scotland from rest of UK
Products of agriculture, forestry, raw materials
Agricultural products  8,711   1,580   2,562 
Coal and lignite  *   *   * 
Metal ore and other mining and quarrying  34,794   *   * 
Subtotal  43,633   1,817   3,177 
Food products, including beverages and tobacco
Food products  19,843   6,105   4,861 
Textile, leather and wood products
Textiles and textile products; leather and leather products  426   *   * 
Wood products  6,315   1,371   1,710 
Subtotal  6,741   1,643   1,763 
Metal, mineral and chemical products
Coke and refined petroleum products  5,135   *   * 
Chemical products  1,763   1,175   * 
Glass, cement and other non-metallic mineral products  9,990   2,177   * 
Metal products  1,916   522   * 
Subtotal  18,805   4,550   1,896 
Machinery and equipment, consumer durables
Machinery and equipment  1,439   328   326 
Transport equipment  1,011   560   423 
Furniture  840   331   * 
Subtotal  3,290   1,219   851 
Other products
Waste related products  19,945   *   935 
Mail, parcels  753   810   862 
Empty containers, pallets and other packaging  2,242   483   435 
Household and office removals  7,669   *   * 
Grouped goods  9,799   2,465   1,562 
Unidentifiable goods  3,664   *   * 
Other goods  *   *   * 
Subtotal  44,376   5,103   4,449 
Total all commodities  136,687   20,437   16,998 
Products of agriculture, forestry, raw materials
Agricultural products  818   590   718 
Coal and lignite  *   *   * 
Metal ore and other mining and quarrying  1,367   *   * 
Subtotal  2,195   670   929 
Food products, including beverages and tobacco
Food products  1,791   1,892  1,621
Textile, leather and wood products
Textiles and textile products; leather and leather products  48  *   * 
Wood products  535   520   674 
Subtotal  583   605   688 
Metal, mineral and chemical products
Coke and refined petroleum products  420   *   * 
Chemical products  99   459   * 
Glass, cement and other non-metallic mineral products  503   570   * 
Metal products  157   194   * 
Subtotal  1,180   1,464   643 
Machinery and equipment, consumer durables
Machinery and equipment  105   124   135 
Transport equipment  60   203   133 
Furniture  67   118   * 
Subtotal  232   445   315 
Other products
Waste related products  979   *   325 
Mail, parcels  131   204   309 
Empty containers, pallets and other packaging  150   142   144 
Household and office removals  291   *   * 
Grouped goods  748   912   518 
Unidentifiable goods  182   *   * 
Other goods  *   *   * 
Subtotal  2,494   1,733   1,527 
 Total all commodities  8,476   6,809   5,723 

* = 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, 2015 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 554 * 889 *
Coal and lignite * * * *
Metal ore and other mining and quarrying 335 * 361 *
Subtotal 889 * 1,348 *
Food products, including beverages and tobacco
Food products 1,616 * 1,379 48
Textile, leather and wood products
Textiles and textile products; leather and leather products 54 * 144 *
Wood products 349 * 376 *
Subtotal 403 * 520 *
Metal, mineral and chemical products
Coke and refined petroleum products 136 * * *
Chemical products 568 * 683 *
Glass, cement and other non-metallic mineral products 510 * 759 *
Metal products 108 * 223 *
Subtotal 1,321 * 1,985 *
Machinery and equipment, consumer durables
Machinery and equipment 289 * 395 *
Transport equipment 268 43 275 39
Furniture 41 * 103 *
Subtotal 599 54 773 60
Other products
Waste related products * * 493 *
Mail, parcels * * 177 *
Empty containers, pallets and other packaging 152 * 93 *
Household and office removals 178 * 141 *
Grouped goods 960 * 1,175 *
Unidentifiable goods 143 * 319 *
Other goods * * * *
Subtotal 1,558 30 2,402 *
Total for journeys outwith UK 6,386 161 8,408 234
million tonne kms
Products of agriculture, forestry, raw materials
Agricultural products 205 * 308 *
Coal and lignite * * * *
Metal ore and other mining and quarrying 82 * 51 *
Subtotal 287 * 374 *
Food products, including beverages and tobacco
Food products 784 * 613 47
Textile, leather and wood products
Textiles and textile products; leather and leather products 36 * 49 *
Wood products 101 * 82 *
Subtotal 137 * 131 *
Metal, mineral and chemical products
Coke and refined petroleum products 62 * * *
Chemical products 356 * 437 *
Glass, cement and other non-metallic mineral products 109 * 142 *
Metal products 87 * 109 *
Subtotal 615 * 723 *
Machinery and equipment, consumer durables
Machinery and equipment 212 * 226 *
Transport equipment 251 76 231 74
Furniture 50 * 101 *
Subtotal 513 90 558 94
Other products
Waste related products * * 134 *
Mail, parcels * * 75 *
Empty containers, pallets and other packaging 73 * 69 *
Household and office removals 135 * 115 *
Grouped goods 473 * 541 *
Unidentifiable goods 104 * 134 *
Other goods * * * *
Subtotal 829 38 1,070 *
 Total for journeys outwith UK 3,164 186 3,470 240

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, 2015
  Goods entering Scotland Goods leaving Scotland Goods entering Scotland Goods leaving Scotland
thousand tonnes million tonne kms
Origin / destination of journey
England
North East  4,447   3,464   972   780 
North West  7,853   6,196   2,187   1,557 
Yorkshire & the Humber  3,481   2,626   1,301   955 
East Midlands  1,286   1,037   579   515 
West Midlands  1,121   1,107   548   560 
East   764   721   473   456 
London  *   *   *   * 
South East  *   *   *   * 
South West  *   *   *   * 
Total England  19,752   15,989   6,616   5,428 
Wales  *   *   *   * 
Northern Ireland  540   528   107   77 
Total elsewhere in UK  20,437   16,998   6,809   5,723 

* = 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, 2015
  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  *   21 *  17,329 
Bulgaria  *   *   *   * 
Croatia  *   *   *   * 
Cyprus  *   *   *   * 
Czech Republic  *   *   *   * 
Denmark  *   *   *   * 
Estonia  *   *   *   * 
Finland  *   *   *   * 
France  72   96   111,517   132,327 
Germany  *   *   *   * 
Greece  *   *   *   * 
Hungary  *   *   *   * 
Ireland  *   *   *   * 
Italy  *   *   *   * 
Latvia  *   *   *   * 
Lithuania  *   *   *   * 
Malta  *   *   *   * 
Netherlands  *   50   *   25,511 
Poland  *   *   *   * 
Portugal  *   *   *   * 
Romania  *   *   *   * 
Slovakia  *   *   *   * 
Slovenia  *   *   *   * 
Spain  *   *   *   * 
Sweden  *   *   *   * 
Total EU countries  161   219   185,637   218,963 
Other countries  *   15   *   20,636 
Total outwith UK  161   234   185,637   239,599 

* = Sample too small for a reliable estimate

 

Table 3.8  Average Freight lifted by UK HGVs per year (2011-2015):  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  710   *   *   *   *   *   *   731   *   731 
HITRANS  *   12,789   477   439   363   725   155   14,990   353   15,343 
NESTRANS  *   581   10,374   829   301   488   *   12,605   438   13,043 
TACTRAN  *   572   781   6,562   1,912   1,299   198   11,324   1,746   13,070 
SESTRAN  *   717   1,016   2,849   23,637   6,220   551   34,990   4,283   39,273 
SPT  *   872   664   857   6,224   34,128   1,231   43,976   5,717   49,694 
SWestrans  *   *   *   172   388   1,314   3,306   5,315   2,647   7,962 
SCOTLAND  751   15,585   13,413   11,709   32,825   44,175   5,474   123,931   15,185   139,116 
Elsewhere in UK  *   297   418   1,263   6,384   7,713   3,095   19,171   1,450,307   1,469,478 
TOTAL  751   15,882   13,831   12,972   39,209   51,888   8,568   143,102   1,465,493   1,608,595