Rail Industry Calls for Reforms to Enhance Investor Confidence in Freight Operations

In the UK, industry leaders and politicians emphasized the necessity for stronger regulations and guarantees in the goverment’s rail reforms to ensure that freight operators can access the great British Railways network fairly and economically. This was highlighted during the Rail Freight Parliamentary Reception.

At this event held at Westminster on March 11, Tim Shoveller, CEO of Freightliner, representing members of Rail Partners, stated that there is a clear demand from voters for increased rail freight movement. Though, he warned that achieving this shift will not happen spontaneously; it requires actionable steps beyond just a shared vision.

Shoveller described rail reform as an opportunity to establish a solid foundation for growth, presenting three options: continue past practices with hopes for better results, follow the vision outlined in recent consultations without further action, or build upon that vision by addressing economic realities between road and rail transport to create a sustainable framework.

‘Only option three will lead us to our desired outcome,’ he asserted.

The CEO supported proposals for GBR to have a legal obligation to promote freight services while maintaining growth targets and enhancing track access adaptability. However, he insisted on more complete measures in upcoming legislation to ensure robust protections for network access and fair pricing structures for freight operators; he called for enhanced powers for the Office of Rail & Road.

‘We’ve shown it’s feasible to shift cargo from road to rail by temporarily lowering track access fees,’ he noted. Yet over recent years, while road costs have remained stable due partly to government policies, track access fees have surged significantly—making it increasingly expensive to transport containers by rail from southern ports.