Network Rail Wales & Borders Rail Freight Study
Rail Freight Group (RFG) was pleased to have the opportunity to respond to the first draft of the Report of the Rail Freight Study. The first five sections of the Report represent a comprehensive distillation of the evolution of the current situation of rail freight in Wales and of the outputs from the several studies that have looked at various aspects of the rail freight industry in Wales. The holistic approach adopted by this study is long overdue and is welcomed.
The subsequent chapters, covering the updated capacity analysis and the opportunities for both modal shift and growth in the rail freight market in Wales, will similarly make a valuable contribution to the development of future strategies and policies although there are some omissions, particularly of facilities, that need to be included in the next draft.
The disappointment in the Report is Chapter 9, which is intended to present a comprehensive assessment of both the current situation and the future opportunities and what is required to deliver them. Unfortunately, the important Recommendations are somewhat lost in the lengthy and difficult-to-read format adopted. The content is fine but the Recommendations need to be shorter, more focused and highlighted if they are to achieve the desired effect and drive appropriate future behaviours.
Since this response to the Consultation Draft was submitted in August 2025, Network Rail has completed and published (in March 2026) the final version of the Wales & Borders Rail Freight Study. This can be found on the Network Rail website.