Reducing carbon emissions related to the transportation of aggregates: is road or rail the solution?

The transportation of aggregates from quarry to production site raises significant concerns over carbon emissions. A considerable body of literature argues that if more freight could be carried on the rail network, substantial reductions in carbon footprints could be made. This paper describes a modelling framework for estimating the spatial transfer or movement of aggregates between quarries in England and Wales and local authority districts (demand zones). A key part of this framework is the estimation of the carbon emissions associated with both road and rail travel. Once built and calibrated, the model is used for a variety of what-if scenarios relating to the increased use of rail (which includes the necessary construction of new uplifting facilities as well as the number of rail-linked quarries) against future road haulage undertaken through a modernised vehicle fleet. The latter is shown to provide a more realistic and economic solution to reducing carbon emissions associated with the transportation of aggregates.