Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the use of digital rail freight technologies in the UK freight network.

The adoption of digital technologies, along with targeted conventional interventions, is a cost-effective way to potentially release additional capacity on the existing network.

Under the Future of Freight plan, the government has committed £7 million to the Freight Innovation Fund to drive the commercialisation of technology, including digital, across all freight modes. It has also provided early stage research and development funding through Transport Research and Innovation Grants (TRIG), the latest awards included funding to develop a web platform for short notice freight train wagon booking to maximise freight capacity.

Government is also encouraging further innovation through the First of a Kind scheme. This year, bids were invited to address a range of potential challenges, including those where digital technologies could provide solutions, such as timetabling and scheduling, routing and tracking, automation of freight handling and modal interchanges, and asset maintenance.