Bigger trucks are taking more freight further
July 31st 2008 07:13 pm By Web Development in India
UK hauliers are carrying more freight on bigger trucks and they are carrying it further on average, according to the latest freight statistics from the Department for Transport (DfT). Road Freight Statistics 2006, published last week, shows that articulated vehicles of more than 33 tonnes now account for 72% of all freight carried, compared with 63% in 1996.
There has also been a long-term increase in the average…… length of journey, from 68km in 1980 to 86km in 2006, although there has been relatively little change since 1995.
Haulage is growing far less quickly than gross domestic product (GDP). Since 1996 the total freight moved has risen by 6%, while GDP has risen by 32%. Between 2005 and 2006 freight moved by GB-registered vehicles within GB went up 2% from 152.7bn tonne kilometres to 155.8bn.
Internationally the total number of freight vehicles of all nationalities travelling to mainland Europe was 2.86 million in 2006, 3% more than in 2005 and 74% more than in 1996.
In 2006 525,000 of these vehicles were UK-registered, 1% up on 2005 and 1% down on 1996. French (367,000), Dutch (258,000) and German (187,000) trucks were the most frequent visitors. The number of freight vehicles from new member states continued to increase and in 2006 included 73,000 from Poland, 45,000 from the Czech Republic and 45,000 from Hungary.
