Transport performance in Dutch freight haulage, 1980-2000

Freight haulage on Dutch territory has increased sharply since 1980. Most freight goes by road.

Developments in freight haulage

Freight haulage on Dutch territory by road, inland shipping and rail went up by approximately 50% between 1980 and 2000. Road haulage has expanded most in the last twenty years. Rail haulage has, after years of decline, regained ground in the last five years at the cost of road transport and inland shipping.
Road haulage as a proportion of freight haulage on Dutch territory increased between 1980 and 1995 from 40 to approximately 50%. In the last five years, the share of road haulage has remained roughly the same.

Policy developments as opposed to autonomous developments

By means of higher excise duty and a policy directed at moving haulage traffic from road to rail and inland shipping, the government has been trying to reduce the burden of freight transport by road. However, other policies have had the opposite effect, examples being the open borders of the EU and an expansion of the road infrastructure. There are also a number of autonomous developments that have resulted in an increase in road freight traffic: higher production, longer trip distances, increasing frequency and reliability and falling transport costs. Improved traffic planning has compensated for this to a small extent (RIVM, 2003).

Technical note

The figures relate to transport performance on Dutch territory.

References

• CBS (2002a). Statline. Statistiek van het binnenlands goederenvervoer. Statistics Netherlands, Voorburg/Heerlen.
• CBS (2002b). Statistieken binnenvaart. Statistics Netherlands, Voorburg/Heerlen.
• RIVM (2003). Environmental Balance 2003. RIVM, Bilthoven. Kluwer, Alphen aan den Rijn.

Relevant sections and indicators in the Environmental Data Compendium

• Passenger kilometres in Dutch passenger transport, 1980-2002
• Traffic performance of motor vehicles in the Netherlands, 1980-2002
• Dutch inland transport of dangerous substances, 1986-2002
• Road traffic in the Netherlands: volume developments and environmental pressure, 1990-2002
• Emissions to air by Traffic and transport in the Netherlands, 1990-2002*

Relevant information outside of the Environmental Data Compendium

• More information about traffic and transport performance can be found on Statline (Statistics Netherlands).