Regional resilience for rail freight transport

Abstract

This paper applies the concept of resilience to the rail freight industry, taking a regional perspective and considering the disturbances that have affected demand over a six year period from 2015 to 2021. This contrasts with many existing studies relating to rail freight which look at managerial factors or only consider short term disruptions. To overcome issues with data availability, four sample weeks were surveyed using online data sources, supplemented by secondary sources. Using the Cardiff Capital Region in Great Britain as an example, we show how the rail freight industry is particularly affected by disturbances in other sectors, due to the connecting role it plays, but also that some new growth paths have emerged. The number of trains operated decreased by 30% over the six year period, with significant declines in coal and automotive traffic following the closure of sources for freight. By contrast, intermodal has seen growth, due to wider economic conditions as well as policy disturbances. The study builds on existing rail freight research, the resilience perspective effectively highlighting that external disturbances affect demand over the long term. Such insights are valuable for regional transport policy makers, who often lack awareness of freight and logistics, as well as practitioners in engaging with regional bodies.