Road freight statistics: July 2020 to June 2021
Published 27 January 2022
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About this release
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Definitions
Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) - a lorry with a plated weight of 3.5 tonnes or more (the plated weight is the maximum permissible weight of a vehicle when loaded).
Goods lifted - the weight of goods carried, measured in tonnes. This is a measure of the total amount of goods which have been transported as road freight.
Goods moved - the weight of goods carried, multiplied by the distance hauled, measured in tonne kilometres. This is a measure of overall road freight activity, taking account of both the amount of goods transported and the distance travelled.
Domestic road freight
Domestic road freight activity by Great Britain (GB) registered HGVs transporting freight in the United Kingdom (UK) has increased over the 12-month period ending June 2021
The infographic above shows the amount of goods lifted, goods moved, and distance travelled within the UK by HGVs registered in Great Britain.
The amount of goods lifted in the 12-month period ending June 2021 increased by 7% to 1.39 billion tonnes from 1.30 billion tonnes in the 12-month period ending June 2020, but was 2% lower than the 5-year average of 1.42 billion tonnes from July 2014 to June 2019.
Goods moved in the 12-month period ending June 2021 increased by 8% to 152 billion tonne kilometres from 140 billion tonne kilometres in the 12-month period ending June 2020, and was 3% higher than the 5-year average of 147 billion tonne kilometres from July 2014 to June 2019.
Distance travelled in the 12-month period ending June 2021 increased by 5% to 17.8 billion kilometres from 16.9 billion kilometres in the 12-month period ending June 2020, but was 5% lower than 5-year average of 18.7 billion kilometres from July 2014 to June 2019.
Caution should be taken when comparing these data to previous time periods because the impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, along with previously announced timings of the UK leaving the European Union (EU) and the subsequent end of the transition period, have caused higher levels of volatility in freight statistics.
Chart 1: Goods lifted within the UK by HGVs registered in Great Britain, shown with variation from the average, 2014 quarter 2 (April to June) to 2021 quarter 2 (April to June)
Chart 1 illustrates the average amount of goods lifted by GB-registered HGVs in the UK, quarterly between 2014 quarter 2 (April to June) and 2021 quarter 2 (April to June), as well as the variance from this average.
The 5-year average was calculated using data from July 2014 until June 2019. The average amount of goods lifted over this 5-year period was 355 million tonnes. The variation from this figure is shown by the standard deviation, which at 16 million tonnes indicates the amount of goods lifted could be between 16 million tonnes less or more than the given average figure.
The amount of goods lifted has been within, or close to, 2 standard deviations of the mean for all quarters except 2020 quarter 2 (April to June). Wider than usual variance was seen throughout 2020 and the beginning of 2021 (± 2 standard deviations), with road freight heavily impacted by COVID-19 and the end of the EU exit transition period.
In 2020 quarter 2 (April to June), during the first national lockdown, the amount of goods lifted fell far below the typical variance. As COVID-19 restrictions eased, there were signs of recovery and goods lifted gradually returned to the typical variance.
In 2021 quarter 1 (January to March), following the end of the EU transition period and the introduction of a third national lockdown, the amount of goods lifted fell below average levels. In 2021 quarter 2 (April to June), the amount of goods lifted has been above average as there has been a phased exit out of the third lockdown.
The domestic activity of Northern Ireland registered HGVs is shown separately in table RFS0130.
International road freight
Road freight activity by HGVs transporting freight internationally has decreased over the 12-month period ending June 2021:
The infographic above shows the total amount of goods lifted and goods moved internationally by UK-registered HGVs, as well as the amount of goods lifted and moved broken down into imports and exports.
The total amount of goods lifted in the 12-month period ending June 2021 decreased by 9% to 6.1 million tonnes from 6.8 million tonnes in the 12-month period ending June 2020, and was 26% lower than the 5-year average of 8.3 million tonnes from July 2014 until June 2019.
3.2 million tonnes were imported, this is a 7% decrease compared to the 3.4 million tonnes imported in the previous 12-month period ending June 2020 and a 26% decrease compared to the 5-year average of 4.3 million tonnes from July 2014 until June 2019.
2.9 million tonnes were exported, this is a 12% decrease compared to the 3.3 million tonnes exported in the previous 12-month period ending June 2020 and a 27% decrease compared to the 5-year average of 4 million tonnes from July 2014 until June 2019.
The total amount of goods moved in the 12-month period ending June 2021 decreased by 11% to 3.7 billion tonne kilometres from 4.1 billion tonne kilometres in the previous 12-months ending June 2020, and was 33% lower than the 5-year average of 5.5 billion tonne kilometres from July 2014 until June 2019.
1.9 billion tonne kilometres were imported, this is a 9% decrease compared to the 2.1 billion tonne kilometres imported in the previous 12-months ending June 2020 and a 30% decrease compared to the 5-year average of 2.7 billion tonne kilometres from July 2014 until June 2019.
1.8 billion tonne kilometres were exported, this is a 14% decrease compared to the 2.0 billion tonne kilometres exported in the previous 12-months ending June 2020 and a 35% decrease compared to the 5-year average of 2.7 billion tonne kilometres from July 2014 until June 2019.
Chart 2: Goods lifted internationally by UK-registered HGVs, shown with variation from the average, 2014 quarter 2 (April to June) to 2021 quarter 2 (April to June)
Chart 2 illustrates the amount of goods lifted internationally by UK-registered HGVs, quarterly between 2014 quarter 2 (April to June) and 2021 quarter 2 (April to June), as well as the variance from this average.
The 5-year average was calculated using data from July 2014 until June 2019. The average amount of goods lifted over this period was 2.1 million tonnes. The variation from this figure is shown by the standard deviation, which at 0.2 million tonnes indicates the amount of goods lifted could be between 0.2 million tonnes less or more than the given average figure.
The amount of goods lifted has been within, or close to, 2 standard deviations of the mean for all quarters before 2020.
Wider than usual variance was seen throughout 2020 and the first half of 2021 (± 2 standard deviations), with road freight heavily impacted by COVID-19 and the end of the EU exit transition period. The number of goods lifted fell outside 2 standard deviations of the mean during 2020 quarter 2 (April to June), coinciding with the first national lockdown. As COVID-19 restrictions eased in 2020 quarter 3 (July to September) and 2020 quarter 4 (October to December), there was some recovery, as goods lifted returned to typical variance.
In 2021 quarter 1 (January to March) following the end of the EU transition period and the introduction of a third national lockdown, the number of goods lifted fell outside two standard deviations of the mean again. In 2021 quarter 2 (April to June) there was a slight recovery, although goods lifted still fell outside typical variance.
Data sources and more information
Data on domestic road freight is derived from the Continuing Survey of Road Goods Transport (CSRGT), and data on international road freight is derived from the International Road Haulage Survey (IRHS). More information is available on these data sources and how they are used.
Road freight domestic and international statistics information
This report shows the latest headline data about road freight activity as of June 2021 and is updated each quarter. More detailed information about road freight activity is updated in the summer of each year, with the latest reports available at the links below.
Domestic road freight: 2020
International road freight: 2020
Other statistics related to freight and trade are available.
Road goods vehicles travelling to Europe: 2020
ONS UK trade statistical bulletins
Port freight annual statistics: 2020
Rail freight statistics
Aviation statistics
Please contact road freight statistics if you have any questions about DfT road freight statistics.
National Statistics
These statistics are designated as National Statistics. National Statistics are produced to high professional standards as set out in the Code of Practice for Statistics. The Code of Practice for Statistics plays an essential role in ensuring that statistics published by government inspire the public confidence through demonstrating trustworthiness and providing high-quality statistics.
The continued designation of the road freight statistics as National Statistics was confirmed in December 2016 following a compliance check by the Office for Statistics Regulation against the Code of Practice in July 2016.
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Contact details
Road freight statistics
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