Chapter 3: Road Freight

Chapter 3: Road Freight

Chapter 3: 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. Revisions have also been made to figures for the years 2011 to 2016.

2. Main Points

Good Lifted & Distance

2.1 In 2017, an estimated 107.6 million tonnes of goods were lifted within Scotland by UK HGVs and transported to destinations within Scotland.  About 15 million tonnes of goods from Scotland were delivered to destinations elsewhere in the UK, and around 19 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 2017. (Table 3.1)

2.2 Most road freight journeys are 50 kilometres or less in length: 21% of tonnes lifted by road in Scotland in 2017 were carried a distance of no more than 25 kilometres, and 24% 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 106 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 2017. The overall total, including journeys with destinations elsewhere in the UK and abroad, was around 13.1 billion tonne-kms, a decrease of 12% on 2016. 

Entering Scotland

2.4 In 2017, 19 million tonnes of goods entered Scotland on UK HGVs from the rest of the UK. 96% of these came from England. Around three quarters of the goods entering came from the North West (41%), Yorkshire and Humber (18%) and North East (12%) regions of England. Fewer goods leave Scotland for other UK countries (14 million tonnes) than enter from them but the proportions going to and coming from different areas are similar (Table 3.6). 

2.5 In 2017, ‘food products including beverages and tobacco’ was the largest single category of goods lifted in Scotland, which remained in Scotland, accounting for 21.4 million tonnes out of the total of 107.6 million tonnes.  (Table 3.4)

Destination

2.6 In 2017, UK-registered HGVs carried an estimated 178 thousand tonnes of goods from Scotland to countries outwith the UK, and 123 thousand tonnes from foreign countries into Scotland.  Of goods leaving Scotland for abroad, carried by UK road hauliers, 26% went to France and 25% to the Netherlands.  (Table 3.7)

2.7 In 2017, around 3% of goods leaving the UK lifted by UK HGVs originated in Scotland.  However, Scotland provided 5% of food products leaving the UK (Table 3.5)

2.8 Generally in the period from 2013 to 2017, 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 114 million tonnes on journeys within Scotland and 38 million of these were on journeys beginning in the SPT area (Table 3.8).

Figure 3.1: Goods lifted by road; entering and leaving Scotland to or from rest of GB, 2017

Figure 3.1 Goods lifted by road; entering and leaving Scotland to or from rest of GB, 2017

Table 3.1: Goods lifted by UK HGVs by origin and destination of journey 2
  2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
million tonnes
a) On journeys originating in Scotland
by destination:
Scotland 159.8 144.2 118.8 116.8 121.0 123.5 111.8  109.1  115.8  123.6 107.6
Elsewhere in UK
England 15.8 11.4 12.2 13.9 12.8 12.4 12.6 13.3 15.8 15.7 14.0
Wales 0.5 0.6 * 0.8  *   *   *   *   *   *  0.6
Northern Ireland * 0.3 0.2 0.1  *  0.7 0.2 0.1 0.5 0.4 0.2
Total elsewhere in UK 16.4 12.3 12.6 14.8 13.5 13.5 13.0 13.5 16.7 16.2 14.8
Outwith UK1 0.6 0.5 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2
Total  176.8 157.0 131.9 131.9 134.8 137.2 125.0  122.9  132.7  139.9 122.6
b) On journeys with Scottish destinations
by origin of journey:
Scotland 159.8 144.2 118.8 116.8 121.0 123.5 111.8  109.1  115.8  123.6 107.6
Elsewhere in UK
England 21.2 17.1 15.5 17.3 16.8 18.8 15.8 17.7 19.7 18.9 18.2
Wales 0.6 0.3 * 0.4  *   *   *   *   *   *  *
Northern Ireland * 0.3 0.4 0.2 0.3 0.5  *  0.2 0.5 0.2 *
Total elsewhere in UK 21.9 17.7 16.0 17.9 17.5 19.6 16.2 18.2 20.3 19.3 19.0
Outwith UK1 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.1
Total  182.0 162.2 134.9 134.9 138.5 143.2 128.1  127.4  136.2  143.0 126.7

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, 2017
  Length of haul (kilometres) 
>0-25 >25-50 >50-100 >100-150 >150-200 >200-300 >300-400 >400-500 >500 All
Tonnes
millions 26.1 29.8 30.1 10.6 5.7 9.9 4.7 2.9 2.5 122.4
percentage 21 24 25 9 5 8 4 2 2 100
Tonne-kilometres
millions 351 1,106 2,141 1,302 992 2,435 1,647 1,321 1,628 12,922
percentage 3 9 17 10 8 19 13 10 13 100

Source: DfT Road Freight Statistics

Table 3.3: Goods moved by UK HGVs by destination, and the economy's road freight intensity
  2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017
million tonne-kilometres
a) Onjourneys originating in Scotland
by destination:
Scotland 8,402 8,321 6,788 7,173 8,065 7,704 7,266  7,226  7,708  9,382 7,722
Elsewhere in UK
England 5,654 4,208 4,199 4,708 4,068 3,841 4,223  4,470  5,394  5,165 4,927
Wales  207  273  *  351  *   *   *   *   *   *  231
Northern Ireland  *  49 30 18  *   130 25 36 64  73   42
Total elsewhere in UK 5,880 4,530 4,345 5,077 4,377 4,176 4,333  4,551  5,676  5,276 5,201
Outwith UK 2  668  533  519 445  370  358  306  280  250  225 208
Total  14,950 13,384 11,652 12,695 12,813  12,239 11,906 12,056 13,634   14,883  13,130
b) Onjourneys with Scottish destinations
by origin of journey:
Scotland 8,402 8,321 6,788 7,173 8,065 7,704 7,266  7,226  7,708  9,382 7,722
Elsewhere in UK
England 7,156 5,801 5,393 5,888 5,347 5,551 5,376  6,010  6,601  6,489 6,103
Wales  329  201  *  212  *   *   *   *   *   *   * 
Northern Ireland  *  77 32 32 65  101  *  58  101  47   41
Total elsewhere in UK 7,509 6,080 5,460 6,132 5,563 5,835 5,525  6,191  6,788  6,628 6,415
Outwith UK 2  290  233  176 170  119  126  124  105  196  134 144
Total  16,201 14,634 12,424 13,475 13,747  13,666 12,915 13,522 14,691   16,144  14,281
c) The road freight intensity of the Scottish economy - an index of the ratio of the index ofroad freight tonne-kilometres to the index of Gross Domestic Product
Road freight moved by UKHGVs on journeys originating in Scotland 
volume 14,950 13,384 11,652 12,695 12,813  12,239 11,906 12,056 13,634   14,883  13,130
index, 2007 = 100
Index: 2007 = 100 100.0 89.5 77.9 84.9 85.7 81.9 79.6 80.6 91.2 99.6 87.8
Scottish Gross Domestic Product (Gross Value Added for all industries)1 
Index: 2014 = 100 96.4 96.3 94.2 94.7 95.8 95.6 97.3815 100.0 101.7 101.9 102.7
Index: 2007=100 100.0 99.9 97.7 98.2 99.3 99.1 101.0  103.7  105.5  105.7 106.5
Road freight intensity
Index: 2007 = 100 100.0 89.6 79.7 86.5 86.3 82.6 78.8 77.7 86.5 94.2 82.5

Source: DfT Road Freight Statistics
1. Scottish GDP figures are as published 4 April 2018. 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
Note: GDP figures available here https://www2.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Economy/PubGDP
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. See methodology note here https://www2.gov.scot/Resource/0054/00542708.pdf

Table 3.4: Goods lifted / moved by UK HGVs, for journeys within the UK with a Scottish origin or destination, by commodity, 2017
  Goods remaining in Scotland Goods entering Scotland from rest of UK Goods leaving Scotland for rest of UK
Products of agriculture, forestry, raw materials
Agricultural products 11,276 1,086 3,227
Coal and lignite  *   *   * 
Metal ore and other mining and quarrying 18,762  *   * 
Subtotal 31,779 1,557 3,921
Food products, including beverages and tobacco
Food products 21,447 7,452 4,849
Textile, leather and wood products
Textiles and textile products; leather and leather products 326 515  * 
Wood products 2,804 851 788
Subtotal 3,130 1,366 1,177
Metal, mineral and chemical products
Coke and refined petroleum products 4,055  *   * 
Chemical products 2,551 1,325  * 
Glass, cement and other non-metallic mineral products 10,244 1,507  * 
Metal products 1,352  *   * 
Subtotal 18,202 3,418 1,292
Machinery and equipment, consumer durables
Machinery and equipment 1,532 433  * 
Transport equipment 1,605 423 481
Furniture 924  *   * 
Subtotal 4,062 1,162 940
Other products
Waste related products 12,766  *   * 
Mail, parcels 1,989 1,224 954
Empty containers, pallets and other packaging 3,329 481 318
Household and office removals 1,814  *   * 
Grouped goods 6,975 1,470 777
Unidentifiable goods 2,015  *   * 
Other goods  *   *   * 
Subtotal 28,972 4,068 2,669
Total all commodities 107,592 19,023 14,848
Products of agriculture, forestry, raw materials
Agricultural products 1,035 341 1,107
Coal and lignite  *   *   * 
Metal ore and other mining and quarrying 836  *   * 
Subtotal 1,954 463 1,311
Food products, including beverages and tobacco
Food products 2,064 2,438 1,658
Textile, leather and wood products
Textiles and textile products; leather and leather products   26 130  * 
Wood products 209 322 319
Subtotal 235 452 395
Metal, mineral and chemical products
Coke and refined petroleum products 303  *   * 
Chemical products 254 425  * 
Glass, cement and other non-metallic mineral products 502 508  * 
Metal products 153  *   * 
Subtotal 1,213 1,162 489
Machinery and equipment, consumer durables
Machinery and equipment   87 174  * 
Transport equipment 121 177 174
Furniture   84  *   * 
Subtotal 291 495 369
Other products
Waste related products 640  *   * 
Mail, parcels 173 449 371
Empty containers, pallets and other packaging 254 148   99
Household and office removals 110  *   * 
Grouped goods 608 457 280
Unidentifiable goods 176  *   * 
Other goods  *   *   * 
Subtotal 1,965 1,405 979
Total all commodities 7,722 6,415 5,201

* = Sample too small for a reliable estimate
These figures include goods lifted by Northern Irish-based HGVs, so are slightly higher than those appearing in DfT's Road Freight Statisics.

Table 3.5: Goods lifted or moved by UK HGVs, for journeys entering or leaving the UK by commodity, 2017 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 510 * 631 *
Coal and lignite * * * *
Metal ore and other mining and quarrying 404 * 335 *
Subtotal 920 * 1,001 *
Food products, including beverages and tobacco
Food products 1,227 * 1,117 60
Textile, leather and wood products
Textiles and textile products; leather and leather products 75 * 37 *
Wood products 210 * 310 *
Subtotal 284 * 347 *
Metal, mineral and chemical products
Coke and refined petroleum products * * * *
Chemical products 404 * 321 *
Glass, cement and other non-metallic mineral products 187 * 634 *
Metal products 79 * 234 *
Subtotal 728 * 1,290 *
Machinery and equipment, consumer durables
Machinery and equipment 429 * 527 29
Transport equipment 385 * 221 *
Furniture 120 * 180 *
Subtotal 933 46 928 40
Other products
Waste related products * * 239 *
Mail, parcels 181 * 212 *
Empty containers, pallets and other packaging 32 * 76 *
Household and office removals 224 * 206 *
Grouped goods 723 * 1,042 *
Unidentifiable goods 115 * 112 *
Other goods * * * *
Subtotal 1,367 * 1,890 *
Total for journeys outwith UK 5,460 123 6,572 178
million tonne-kilometres
Products of agriculture, forestry, raw materials
Agricultural products 301 * 258 *
Coal and lignite * * * *
Metal ore and other mining and quarrying 115 * 65 *
Subtotal 419 * 341 *
Food products, including beverages and tobacco
Food products 555 * 482 82
Textile, leather and wood products
Textiles and textile products; leather and leather products 30 * 19 *
Wood products 76 * 129 *
Subtotal 106 * 147 *
Metal, mineral and chemical products
Coke and refined petroleum products * * * *
Chemical products 299 * 281 *
Glass, cement and other non-metallic mineral products 107 * 156 *
Metal products 35 * 87 *
Subtotal 470 * 540 *
Machinery and equipment, consumer durables
Machinery and equipment 325 * 315 34
Transport equipment 241 * 185 *
Furniture 82 * 160 *
Subtotal 648 42 660 54
Other products
Waste related products * * 65 *
Mail, parcels 69 * 98 *
Empty containers, pallets and other packaging 22 * 65 *
Household and office removals 169 * 170 *
Grouped goods 363 * 417 *
Unidentifiable goods 136 * 84 *
Other goods * * * *
Subtotal 785 * 903 *
Total for journeys outwith UK 2,982 144 3,073 208

* = Sample too small for a reliable estimate
These figures include goods lifted by Northern Irish-based HGVs, so are slightly higher than those appearing in DfT's Road Freight Statisics.

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, 2017
Goods entering Scotland Goods leaving Scotland Goods entering Scotland Goods leaving Scotland thousand tonnes
million tonne-kilometres
Origin / destination of journey
England
North East 2,449 2,670 693 583
North West 7,824 5,881 1,904 1,686
Yorkshire & the Humber 3,347 1,959 1,253 754
East Midlands 1,465 663 700 347
West Midlands 1,825 1,686 774 823
East  619 *  387 * 
London *  *  *  * 
South East *  *  *  * 
South West *  *  *  * 
Total England 18,214 14,015 6,103 4,927
Wales *  602 *  231
Northern Ireland *  231 *   42
Total elsewhere in UK 19,023 14,848 6,415 5,201

* = 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, 2017
  Goods entering Scotland Goods leaving Scotland Goods entering Scotland Goods leaving Scotland
thousand tonnes thousand tonne-kilometres
Origin / destination of journey
EU countries
Austria *  *  *  * 
Belgium & Luxembourg *  *  *  * 
Bulgaria *  *  *  * 
Croatia *  *  *  * 
Cyprus *  *  *  * 
Czech Republic *  *  *  * 
Denmark *  *  *  * 
Estonia *  *  *  * 
Finland *  *  *  * 
France *  48 *  55,991
Germany *  22 *  29,479
Greece *  *  *  * 
Hungary *  *  *  * 
Ireland *  *  *  * 
Italy *  *  *  * 
Latvia *  *  *  * 
Lithuania *  *  *  * 
Malta *  *  *  * 
Netherlands *  45 *  28,955
Poland *  *  *  * 
Portugal *  *  *  * 
Romania *  *  *  * 
Slovakia *  *  *  * 
Slovenia *  *  *  * 
Spain *  22 *  49,482
Sweden *  *  *  * 
Total EU countries 123 174 143,996 202,949
Other countries *  *  *  * 
Total outwith UK 123 178 144,255 208,199

* = Sample too small for a reliable estimate

Table 3.8: Average freight lifted by UK HGVs per year (2013-2017): 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 504 *  *  *  *  *  *  525 *  525
HITRANS *  13,194 523 533 407 1,043 *  15,825 532 16,357
NESTRANS *  494 9,859 823 536 684 62 12,458 536 12,994
TACTRAN *  523 1,001 4,868 1,790 1,419 206 9,807 1,444 11,251
SESTRAN *  860 1,173 2,006 21,410 5,103 686 31,239 3,966 35,205
SPT *  1,008 882 886 5,426 27,981 1,420 37,603 5,499 43,102
SWestrans *  79 *  355 349 1,295 3,915 6,096 2,874 8,971
Scotland 545 16,180 13,540 9,470 29,918 37,525 6,375 113,553 14,852 128,405
Elsewhere in UK *  388 649 1,136 6,093 7,557 2,772 18,596 1,284,655 1,303,251
Total 545 16,568 14,189 10,606 36,012  45,082 9,147 132,149 1,299,507 1,431,655