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Everything's going up
Page 26
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The amount of road freight soared 69% between 1980 and 2003 to 152bn tonne-km, according to the DIT However, its Transport of Goods by Road in
Great Britain 2003 report shows that this was mainly because goods were carried further. The growth keeps pace with GDP and construction. Freight Growth
The three measures of truck activity: tonnekilometres, tonnes-lifted and vehicle-kilometres all increased between 1980 and 2003.
Between 1986 and 1989 freight activity soared, peaking in 1989: tonne-kilometres increased by 31%; tonnes-lifted by 23% and vehicle-kilometres by 25%. This highlights an increase in average load (tonne-kilometres/ vehicle kilometres) and a bigger increase in average length of haul (tonne-kilometres/ tonnes-lifted). However, between 1989 and 1992 all three indicators fell with the sharpest decrease occurring in tonnes-lifted, which slumped from 1,704million tonnes to 1,463million tonnes, thanks to recession.
Between 2002 and 2003 the amount of freight moved grew by 1.3% from 150bn tonnekilometres in 2002 to 152bn tonne-kilometres in 2003. In the same period the amount of freight lifted increased by 1% from 1,627million tonnes to 1,643million tonnes, while total vehiclekilometres remained unchanged at 22.2bn vehicle-kilometres. Goods Moved
Over the past decade the amount of miscellaneous goods moved (machinery and transport equipment, items not specffied elsewhere) increased from 32% to 36%. The amount of food, drink and tobacco moved remained stable at 28%; bulk products (wood, iron and steel etc) decreased from 29% to 27%. The amount of chemicals, petrol and fertiliser carried also fell 9%.
Food, drink and tobacco products account for the highest proportion of long-distance traffic; 20% of this freight is carried more than 200km compared with an overall figure for all commodities of 14%. Fuel Prices
Fuel prices continued to rise over the past month as the cost of crude oil rose to a record high of $40.54 a barrel. The UK remains the most expensive EU country in which to buy diesel with the average price of diesel at €1.19/lit compared with just €0.64Ait in Poland.