UK port freight units: road goods vehicles
UK port freight units: road goods vehicles stood at 37,482.01 thousands in 2025, according to GOV.UK official statistics. It is one of the indicators in the Port and waterborne freight table (Value · Annual), with a complete series running from 1970 to 2025. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Port and waterborne freight table
| Indicator | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freight units | |||||||||||
| Road goods vehicles | 37,482.01 | 36,890.31 | 36,966.88 | 35,380.53 | 35,149.92 | 39,801.29 | 43,421.05 | 44,653.16 | 46,530.63 | 47,056.3 | |
| Unaccompanied trailers | 46,729.9 | 47,988.54 | 47,402.1 | 51,318.81 | 49,147.17 | 45,557.63 | 45,192.82 | 46,315.08 | 44,265.62 | 42,599.02 |
Understanding UK port freight units: road goods vehicles
Tally of commercial road goods vehicles, including articulated and rigid lorries, passing through maritime port facilities in the United Kingdom on ferry services. The series tracks heavy commercial transport units carrying freight between domestic and international road networks via shipping lanes. Port operators compile the statistics using administrative records from ferry ticketing systems and customs declarations at terminal gates.
When analysing these figures, allow for regulatory changes affecting driver hours or customs clearance procedures that can distort transit speeds and annual comparisons. Seasonality heavily influences vehicle movements, with peaks typically aligning with agricultural and retail cycles. Analysts must not treat vehicle counts as a proxy for total weight, because payload capacities vary widely across different lorry configurations.
Frequently asked questions
- What vehicles are counted in this series?
- Articulated and rigid commercial goods vehicles, lorries, and freight-carrying trucks travelling on roll-on roll-off ferries are included.
- Does this measure passenger cars or buses?
- No, passenger vehicles and coaches are excluded; the series measures strictly commercial goods transport.
- Are driver-accompanied vehicles distinguished from unaccompanied units?
- Yes, driver-accompanied road goods vehicles form a separate series from unaccompanied trailers and lift-on lift-off containers.