The role of imports to UK aggregates supply

Annual consumption of natural aggregates in Great Britain is about 204 million tonnes. Mainly through the landings of marine-dredged sand and gravel in Europe, amounting to 6.1 million tonnes in 2003, and also exports of crushed rock from Glensanda, Britain’s only coastal superquarry, the UK is a net exporter of natural aggregates. Official statistics indicate that the UK is a small, net exporter of crushed rock, with exports being 3.2 million tonnes against apparent imports of 2.6 million tonnes in 2003. Of the imports roughly half was from Norway and consist of both crushed rock and armourstone. Most of the imports are landed in the South East, including London. Currently imports account for only about 1% of total aggregates demand in Great Britain. Preliminary HM Customs & Excise Statistics for 2004 indicate that UK imports of aggregates have increased to 3.1 million tonnes and total exports have increased to 12.2 million tonnes, of which 4.4 million tones was crushed rock. The next four-yearly Aggregates Minerals Survey is scheduled for 2005. This will provide an update of inter-regional flows of aggregates and also imports from outside England and Wales. It is recommended that, if confidentiality considerations can be overcome, material landed from Scotland, Northern Ireland and Europe is separately quantified.