Posted: April 19th, 2023

Freight Transport Modal Choice in North West England’s Atlantic Gateway

Freight Transport Modal Choice in North West England’s Atlantic Gateway

The Atlantic Gateway is a strategic economic corridor that connects the cities of Liverpool and Manchester in North West England. It encompasses major ports, airports, rail networks, logistics hubs, and industrial clusters that facilitate trade and investment in the region. Freight transport is a key component of the Atlantic Gateway, as it enables the movement of goods and materials between different modes of transport, such as road, rail, water, and air.

However, freight transport also poses significant challenges for the environment, society, and economy of the region. It generates greenhouse gas emissions, air pollution, noise, congestion, accidents, and infrastructure costs. Therefore, it is important to understand the factors that influence the modal choice of freight transport in the Atlantic Gateway, and how they can be influenced to achieve more sustainable outcomes.

This blog post aims to provide an overview of the main factors that affect the modal choice of freight transport in the Atlantic Gateway, based on a review of recent literature and data. It also discusses some of the potential interventions that could be implemented to encourage a modal shift from road to rail or water transport, which are generally considered more environmentally friendly and efficient modes of freight transport.

Factors Affecting Freight Transport Modal Choice

The modal choice of freight transport depends on a variety of factors that can be classified into four categories: characteristics of the shipment, characteristics of the transport mode, characteristics of the transport network, and external factors (Rodrigue et al., 2017).

Characteristics of the shipment include the type, volume, weight, value, time sensitivity, and origin-destination of the goods being transported. These factors determine the suitability and availability of different transport modes for a given shipment. For example, bulk commodities such as coal or grain are more likely to be transported by rail or water than by road, due to their high volume and low value. On the other hand, high-value or perishable goods such as electronics or fresh produce are more likely to be transported by road or air, due to their low volume and high time sensitivity.

Characteristics of the transport mode include the cost, speed, reliability, flexibility, safety, and environmental impact of each mode. These factors influence the attractiveness and competitiveness of different transport modes for shippers and carriers. For example, road transport is generally cheaper, faster, more reliable, and more flexible than rail or water transport for short distances and small shipments. However, rail or water transport can offer lower costs, higher speeds, greater reliability, and lower environmental impact than road transport for long distances and large shipments.

Characteristics of the transport network include the capacity, connectivity, accessibility, interoperability, and quality of service of each mode. These factors affect the availability and performance of different transport modes within a given network. For example, a well-developed rail or water network can provide high capacity, connectivity,
accessibility, interoperability, and quality of service for freight transport in a region. However,
a poorly developed or maintained rail or water network can limit the potential and efficiency
of these modes.

External factors include the legal, regulatory,
political,
social,
and economic conditions that affect
the demand
and supply
of freight
transport
in a region.
These factors
can create
incentives
or barriers
for the use
of different
transport modes.
For example,
fuel taxes,
tolls,
subsidies,
regulations,
standards,
policies,
public opinion,
and market trends can influence
the cost,
benefit,
and feasibility
of each mode.

Potential Interventions to Encourage Modal Shift

Based on the factors affecting freight transport modal choice,
several interventions can be proposed to encourage a modal shift from road to rail or water transport in the Atlantic Gateway.
These interventions can be grouped into three categories: infrastructure development,
pricing policies,
and information provision (McKinnon et al., 2018).

Infrastructure development involves improving
the capacity,
connectivity,
accessibility,
interoperability,
and quality
of service
of rail
or water
transport networks.
This can be achieved by investing in new or upgraded infrastructure,
such as ports,
terminals,
railways,
waterways,
bridges,
locks,
and intermodal facilities.
It can also involve enhancing
the coordination
and integration
of different
transport modes
and operators,
such as creating
common standards,
protocols,
platforms,
and interfaces.
Infrastructure development can increase
the availability
and performance
of rail
or water
transport modes,
making them more attractive
and competitive
for freight transport.

Pricing policies involve adjusting
the relative costs
and benefits
of different
transport modes
to reflect their true social and environmental impacts.
This can be achieved by imposing taxes,
tolls,
charges,
or fees on road transport to account for its external costs,
such as emissions,
pollution,
noise,
congestion,
accidents,
and infrastructure wear and tear.
It can also involve providing subsidies,
incentives,
or discounts for rail or water transport to account for their external benefits,
such as lower emissions,
pollution,
noise,
congestion,
accidents,
and infrastructure maintenance.
Pricing policies can influence
the attractiveness
and competitiveness
of rail
or water
transport modes,
making them more affordable
and preferable
for freight transport.

Information provision involves improving
the availability
and quality
of information
about the characteristics
and performance
of different
transport modes
for freight transport.
This can be achieved by collecting,
analyzing,
and disseminating data on the cost,
speed,
reliability,
flexibility,
safety,
and environmental impact of each mode.
It can also involve providing guidance,
advice,
or recommendations for shippers and carriers on the optimal modal choice for their shipments.
Information provision can affect
the awareness
and perception
of rail
or water
transport modes,
making them more transparent
and trustworthy
for freight transport.

Conclusion

Freight transport is a vital component of the Atlantic Gateway, but it also poses significant challenges for the region. Understanding the factors that influence the modal choice of freight transport in the Atlantic Gateway, and how they can be influenced to achieve more sustainable outcomes, is essential for the development and management of the corridor. This blog post has provided an overview of the main factors that affect the modal choice of freight transport in the Atlantic Gateway, and some of the potential interventions that could be implemented to encourage a modal shift from road to rail or water transport. However, further research and analysis are needed to evaluate the feasibility, effectiveness, and impact of these interventions in the specific context of the Atlantic Gateway.

References

McKinnon, A., Piecyk, M., & Thorne, G. (2018). The potential for rail to make a greater contribution to the decarbonisation of surface freight transport in Great Britain. Journal of Rail Transport Planning & Management, 8(4), 282-296.

Rodrigue, J. P., Comtois, C., & Slack, B. (2017). The geography of transport systems. Routledge.