Chapter 3: Road Freight

Chapter 3: Road Freight

Chapter 3 infographic

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 and Distance

2.1 In 2019, an estimated 97.8 million tonnes of goods were lifted within Scotland by UK HGVs and transported to destinations within Scotland. About 19.1 million tonnes of goods from Scotland were delivered to destinations elsewhere in the UK, and around 20.7 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 2019. (Table 3.1)

2.2 Most road freight journeys are 100 kilometres or less in length: 21% of tonnes lifted by road in Scotland in 2019 were carried a distance of no more than 25 kilometres, and 24% travelled over 50 km but no more than 100 km. The average journey distance, which is calculated by dividing the total tonne-kilometres by the total tonnes lifted, was 118 km. (Table 3.2)

Originating in Scotland

2.3 Goods moved on journeys originating in Scotland with a destination in Scotland accounted for around 8.4 billion tonne-kilometres in 2019. The overall total, including journeys with destinations elsewhere in the UK and abroad, was around 14.1 billion tonne-kms, a decrease of 3% on 2018. (Table 3.3)

Entering Scotland

2.4 In 2019, 21 million tonnes of goods entered Scotland on UK HGVs from the rest of the UK. 97% of these came from England. Around 70 per cent of the goods entering came from the North West (33%), Yorkshire and Humber (16%) and North East (14%) regions of England. Fewer goods leave Scotland for other UK countries (19 million tonnes) than enter from them but the proportions going to and coming from different areas are similar (Table 3.6).

2.5 In 2019, 'food products including beverages and tobacco' was the largest single category of goods lifted in Scotland, which remained in Scotland, accounting for 17.7 million tonnes out of the total of 97.8 million tonnes. (Table 3.4)

Destination

2.6 In 2019, UK-registered HGVs carried an estimated 391 thousand tonnes of goods from Scotland to countries outwith the UK, and 196 thousand tonnes from foreign countries into Scotland. Of goods leaving Scotland for abroad, carried by UK road hauliers, 46% went to France and 18% to the Netherlands. (Table 3.7)

2.7 In 2019, around 4% of goods leaving the UK lifted by UK HGVs originated in Scotland. (Table 3.5)

2.8 Generally in the period from 2015 to 2019, 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 77 million tonnes on journeys within Scotland and 24 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, 2019

Fig. 3.1: Goods lifted by road; entering and leaving Scotland to or from rest of GB, 2019

 

Table 3.1: Goods lifted by UK HGVs by origin and destination of journey 2
2009 2010 2011 3 2012 3 2013 3 2014 3 2015 3 2016 3 2017 2018 2019
million tonnes
a) On journeys originating in Scotland
by destination:
Scotland 118.8 116.8 121.0 123.5 111.8 109.1 115.8 123.6 107.6 111.4 97.8
Elsewhere in UK
England 12.2 13.9 12.8 12.4 12.6 13.3 15.8 15.7 14.0 16.5 18.6
Wales * 0.8 * * * * * * 0.6 * 0.2
Northern Ireland 0.2 0.1 * 0.7 0.2 0.1 0.5 0.4 0.2 0.2 0.4
Total elsewhere in UK 12.6 14.8 13.5 13.5 13.0 13.5 16.7 16.2 14.8 17.0 19.1
Outwith UK1 0.5 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.2 0.4
Total 131.9 131.9 134.8 137.2 125.0 122.9 132.7 139.9 122.6 128.6 117.3
b) On journeys with Scottish destinations
by origin of journey:
Scotland 118.8 116.8 121.0 123.5 111.8 109.1 115.8 123.6 107.6 111.4 97.8
Elsewhere in UK
England 15.5 17.3 16.8 18.8 15.8 17.7 19.7 18.9 18.2 19.4 20
Wales * 0.4 * * * * * * * * 0.3
Northern Ireland 0.4 0.2 0.3 0.5 * 0.2 0.5 0.2 * 0.3 0.4
Total elsewhere in UK 16.0 17.9 17.5 19.6 16.2 18.2 20.3 19.3 19.0 19.8 20.7
Outwith UK1 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.2
Total 134.9 134.9 138.5 143.2 128.1 127.4 136.2 143.0 126.7 131.3 118.6

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.

3. Figures from 2011 to 2016 were revised in 2018.

* = 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, 2019
0-25 25-50 50-100 100-150 150-200 200-300 300-400 400-500 500 All
Tonnes
millions 24.2 19.7 28.3 13.8 8.7 11.4 5.7 2.7 2.4 116.9
percentage 21 17 24 12 7 10 5 2 2 100
Tonne-kilometres
millions 356 727 2,009 1,689 1,503 2,828 1,958 1,186 1,487 13,744
percentage 3 5 15 12 11 21 14 9 11 100

Source: DfT Road Freight Statistics

 

Table 3.3: Goods moved by UK HGVs by destination, and the economy's road freight intensity
2009 2010 2011 2 2012 2 2013 2 2014 2 2015 2 2016 2 2017 2018 2019
million tonne-kilometres
a) On journeys originating in Scotland
by destination:
Scotland 6,788 7,173 8,065 7,704 7,266 7,226 7,708 9,382 7,722 8,873 8,374
Elsewhere in UK
England 4,199 4,708 4,068 3,841 4,223 4,470 5,394 5,165 4,927 5,344 5,247
Wales * 351 * * * * * * 231 * 64
Northern Ireland 30 18 * 130 25 36 64 73 42 39 59
Total elsewhere in UK 4,345 5,077 4,377 4,176 4,333 4,551 5,676 5,276 5,201 5,521 5,370
Outwith UK 2 519 445 370 358 306 280 250 225 208 241 395
Total 11,652 12,695 12,813 12,239 11,906 12,056 13,634 14,883 13,130 14,635 14,139
b) On journeys with Scottish destinations
by origin of journey:
Scotland 6,788 7,173 8,065 7,704 7,266 7,226 7,708 9,382 7,722 8,873 8,374
Elsewhere in UK
England 5,393 5,888 5,347 5,551 5,376 6,010 6,601 6,489 6,103 6,610 5,815
Wales * 212 * * * * * * * * 93
Northern Ireland 32 32 65 101 * 58 101 47 41 46 76
Total elsewhere in UK 5,460 6,132 5,563 5,835 5,525 6,191 6,788 6,628 6,415 6,690 5,984
Outwith UK 2 176 170 119 126 124 105 196 134 144 125 153
Total 12,424 13,475 13,747 13,666 12,915 13,522 14,691 16,144 14,281 15,689 14,511
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 11,652 12,695 12,813 12,239 11,906 12,056 13,634 14,883 13,130 14,635 14,139
index, 2009 = 100
Index: 2009 = 100 100.0 109.0 110.0 105.0 102.2 103.5 117.0 127.7 112.7 125.6 121.3
Scottish Gross Domestic Product (Gross Value Added for all industries)1
Index: 2016 = 100 92.9 93.8 94.5 94.7 96.7 98.7 99.2 100.0 101.1 102.7 103.6
Index: 2009=100 100.0 101.0 101.7 102.0 104.1 106.2 106.8 107.7 108.9 110.6 111.5
Road freight intensity
Index: 2009 = 100 100.0 107.9 108.1 103.0 98.2 97.4 109.6 118.6 103.5 113.6 108.8

Source: DfT Road Freight Statistics

1. Scottish GDP figures are as published 18 March 2020.

These figures include goods lifted by Northern Irish-based HGVs, so are slightly higher than those appearing in DfT's Road Freight Statisics.

2. Figures from 2011 to 2016 were revised in 2018.

* = Sample too small for a reliable estimate

Note: GDP figures available table 5 here https://www.gov.scot/publications/about-gdp/

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.

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/405241/road-freight-statistics-methodology-note.pdf

 

Table 3.4: Goods lifted / moved by UK HGVs, for journeys within the UK with a Scottish origin or destination, by commodity, 2019
  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 8,846 2,097 3,089
Coal and lignite 349 * *
Metal ore and other mining and quarrying 14,286 1,541 875
Subtotal 23,481 3,638 4,092
Food products, including beverages and tobacco
Food products 17,713 5,539 4,042
Textile, leather and wood products
Textiles and textile products; leather and leather products 523 297 *
Wood products 3,515 753 1,478
Subtotal 4,037 1,050 1,693
Metal, mineral and chemical products
Coke and refined petroleum products 9,128 * *
Chemical products 1,790 1,032 684
Glass, cement and other non-metallic mineral products 7,695 2,131 1,471
Metal products 848 488 361
Subtotal 19,461 3,889 2,892
Machinery and equipment, consumer durables
Machinery and equipment 1,172 477 609
Transport equipment 660 476 *
Furniture 290 * *
Subtotal 2,122 1,127 1,031
Other products
Waste related products 10,741 721 919
Mail, parcels 2,710 583 320
Empty containers, pallets and other packaging 1,731 421 513
Household and office removals 2,388 633 642
Grouped goods 12,023 2,489 2,477
Unidentifiable goods 1,364 566 527
Other goods * * *
Subtotal 30,957 5,412 5,398
Total all commodities 97,771 20,655 19,148
Products of agriculture, forestry, raw materials
Agricultural products 1,056 542 999
Coal and lignite 19 * *
Metal ore and other mining and quarrying 591 396 133
Subtotal 1,666 939 1,207
Food products, including beverages and tobacco
Food products 1,951 1,848 1,342
Textile, leather and wood products
Textiles and textile products; leather and leather products 39 77 *
Wood products 383 256 407
Subtotal 422 332 449
Metal, mineral and chemical products
Coke and refined petroleum products 727 * *
Chemical products 183 259 185
Glass, cement and other non-metallic mineral products 517 619 293
Metal products 98 141 107
Subtotal 1,525 1,052 692
Machinery and equipment, consumer durables
Machinery and equipment 97 189 222
Transport equipment 43 147 *
Furniture 33 * *
Subtotal 173 401 333
Other products
Waste related products 693 108 235
Mail, parcels 435 158 71
Empty containers, pallets and other packaging 178 105 157
Household and office removals 105 101 125
Grouped goods 1,042 730 604
Unidentifiable goods 182 210 157
Other goods * * *
Subtotal 2,637 1,412 1,347
Total all commodities 8,374 6,695 5,370

* = 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, 2019 1
Goods entering UK Goods leaving UK
Total entering UK of which: entering Scotland Total leaving UK of which: leaving Scotland
Products of agriculture, forestry, raw materials
Agricultural products 585 * 325 *
Coal and lignite * * 1,805 159
Metal ore and other mining and quarrying 261 * 176 *
Subtotal 873 * 2,306 182
Food products, including beverages and tobacco
Food products 2,128 62 321 *
Textile, leather and wood products
Textiles and textile products; leather and leather products 57 * 195 *
Wood products 185 * 324 *
Subtotal 242 * 519 *
Metal, mineral and chemical products
Coke and refined petroleum products 36 * 1,227 *
Chemical products 221 * 174 *
Glass, cement and other non-metallic mineral products 980 * 539 52
Metal products 131 * 245 *
Subtotal 1,367 * 2,186 66
Machinery and equipment, consumer durables
Machinery and equipment 405 74 85 *
Transport equipment 367 * 115 *
Furniture 25 * 173 *
Subtotal 797 79 373 *
Other products
Waste related products 205 * 117 *
Mail, parcels 115 * 168 *
Empty containers, pallets and other packaging 62 * 1,072 *
Household and office removals 96 * 62 *
Grouped goods 755 * * *
Unidentifiable goods 95 * 7,857 *
Other goods * * * 391
Subtotal 1,331 20 9,276 403
Total for journeys outwith UK 6,738 196 14,981 661
Products of agriculture, forestry, raw materials
Agricultural products 244 * 80 *
Coal and lignite * * 759 191
Metal ore and other mining and quarrying 60 * 77 *
Subtotal 311 * 917 203
Food products, including beverages and tobacco
Food products 915 43 115 *
Textile, leather and wood products
Textiles and textile products; leather and leather products 31 * 34 *
Wood products 69 * 168 *
Subtotal 100 * 202 *
Metal, mineral and chemical products
Coke and refined petroleum products 13 * 194 *
Chemical products 131 * 92 *
Glass, cement and other non-metallic mineral products 207 * 305 43
Metal products 57 * 178 *
Subtotal 408 * 769 57
Machinery and equipment, consumer durables
Machinery and equipment 225 57 58 *
Transport equipment 328 * 38 *
Furniture 22 * 94 *
Subtotal 574 63 190 *
Other products
Waste related products 49 * 67 *
Mail, parcels 70 * 82 *
Empty containers, pallets and other packaging 38 * 411 *
Household and office removals 51 * 28 *
Grouped goods 333 * * *
Unidentifiable goods 38 * 3,108 *
Other goods * * * 395
Subtotal 581 18 3,696 403
Total for journeys outwith UK 2,889 153 5,889 670

* = 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, 2019
  Goods entering Scotland Goods leaving Scotland Goods entering Scotland Goods leaving Scotland
thousand tonnes million tonne-kilometres
Origin / destination of journey
England
North East 2,800 2,222 674 533
North West 6,820 6,810 1,909 1,899
Yorkshire & the Humber 3,253 2,795 1,047 833
East Midlands 1,680 1,255 576 502
West Midlands 1,838 1,423 734 549
East 1,059 1,624 326 355
London 795 775 88 153
South East 893 1,131 222 297
South West 846 530 240 127
Total England 19,984 18,565 5,815 5,247
Wales 296 192 93 64
Northern Ireland 375 391 76 59
Total elsewhere in UK 20,655 19,148 5,984 5,370

* = 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, 2019
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 44 11 39,007 9,185
Bulgaria * * * *
Croatia * * * *
Cyprus * * * *
Czech Republic * * * *
Denmark * * * *
Estonia * * * *
Finland * * * *
France 30 178 32,023 191,786
Germany * 55 * 77,904
Greece * * * *
Hungary * * * *
Ireland * * * *
Italy * * * *
Latvia * * * *
Lithuania * * * *
Malta * * * *
Netherlands 60 71 33,365 50,188
Poland * * * *
Portugal * * * *
Romania * * * *
Slovakia * * * *
Slovenia * * * *
Spain * * * *
Sweden * * * *
Total EU countries 194 380 151,539 379,616
Other countries * * * *
Total outwith UK 196 391 152,941 395,344

* = Sample too small for a reliable estimate

 

Table 3.8: Average freight lifted by UK HGVs per year (2015-2019): 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 339 * * * * * * 363 * 363
HITRANS * 11,087 627 343 231 751 * 13,122 1,435 14,557
NESTRANS * 429 9,776 391 374 472 * 11,490 1,180 12,670
TACTRAN * 326 587 3,133 948 991 81 6,067 844 6,910
SESTRAN * 472 687 962 13,118 2,934 479 18,652 2,619 21,271
SPT * 584 479 557 3,231 18,415 860 24,126 3,582 27,708
SWestrans * * * 231 273 669 2,307 3,575 1,916 5,491
SCOTLAND 383 12,994 12,178 5,618 18,176 24,231 3,813 77,394 11,576 88,970
Elsewhere in UK * 1,486 1,769 670 3,940 4,643 1,800 14,308 1,370,337 1,384,645
Total 383 14,480 13,948 6,288 22,115 28,874 5,613 91,702 1,381,913 1,473,615

 

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