UK retailers look to rail for lower emissions and better efficiencies

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UK shippers are switching from road to rail in a bid to cut emissions and increase efficiencies, despite the “challenge” in rail matching the cost of road, visitors to Multimodal heard in Birmingham yesterday.

Justin Kirkhope, project manager, logistics strategy at The Co-Operative Food, was initially skeptical about the use of rail, he said.

Three years ago the UK’s fifth largest food retailer began by sending just 10 boxes a week from its national distribution centre in Coventry, which holds slower-moving products, to Scotland, in partnership ...