Accredited official statistics

Road freight statistics 2010

This release presents statistics on domestic activity of GB-registered heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and the international activity of UK-registered HGVs.

Documents

Domestic activity of GB-registered heavy goods vehicles

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International activity of UK-registered HGVs and UK activity of foreign registered HGVs

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Road freight economic, environmental and safety statistics

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Road freight statistics: 2010 and XLS tables

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Road freight statistics notes and definitions

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Pre-release access list for road freight statistics

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Details

This release presents statistics on domestic activity of GB-registered heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and the international activity of UK-registered HGVs. This information is collected through the department’s 3 continuous surveys of road freight activity, the Continuing Survey of Road Goods Transport Great Britain (CSRGT GB), the Continuing Survey of Road Goods Transport Northern Ireland and the International Road Haulage Survey (IRHS).

An additional release presents some broader economic, environmental and safety statistics for the road freight industry, from Department for Transport sources, and data from other departments such as the Office for National Statistics.

Key points

  • Between 2009 and 2010, the amount of goods moved by GB-registered vehicles in the UK increased by 11% to 139 billion tonne kilometres.
  • Over the same period, the amount of goods lifted increased by 10% to 1,489 million tonnes and vehicle kilometres increased by 4% to 18.8 billion vehicle kilometres (11.7 billion vehicle miles).
  • Excluding ‘groupage’ the main categories of commodity exported by UK vehicles in 2010 were Foodstuffs (24% of all tonnes lifted) and Chemicals, Machinery & Engines and Leather & Textiles (all 11%).
  • Since the 1990s, there has been a change in the type of vehicle accounting for HGV activity. The percentage share of freight moved by rigid vehicles declined from 31% in 1989 to 25% in 1999, and to 22% in 2010.
  • In 2010, the amount of goods lifted by UK-registered goods vehicles travelling to or from the UK was 10.6 million tonnes, a 10% increase from 9.6 million tonnes in 2009.
  • Excluding ‘groupage’ (the consolidation of different goods into a single load), the main categories of commodity exported by UK vehicles in 2010 were Foodstuffs (24% of all tonnes lifted) and Chemicals, Machinery & Engines and Leather & Textiles (all 11%).

Note: Table RFS0141 (and the associated text in the ‘Domestic activity of GB-registered heavy goods vehicles’ release) was revised on 1 November.

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Updates to this page

Published 27 October 2011

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