The UK's representative body for rail freight, a members' group based in London that campaigns to move more goods by rail.
Rail Freight Group, or RFG, is the representative body for rail freight in the UK. Rail freight means moving goods such as containers, building materials, cars and supermarket stock on trains instead of lorries. RFG is a member-based trade association, and its members include rail freight operators, logistics companies, ports, equipment suppliers, property developers, retailers, construction companies and support services. Its aim, in its own words, is to increase the volume of goods moved by rail.
RFG has worked since 1991 to increase the amount of goods carried by rail. It does this by campaigning for a policy environment that supports sustainable rail freight growth, promoting the sector, and supporting members as they grow. In September 2026 it welcomed the Government's interim target of 40 per cent rail freight growth by 2040, which sits alongside an existing target of 75 per cent by 2050. A recent guest article on its website argues that rail reform will only succeed if freight succeeds.
RFG is based in London. Its website gives an address at Holborn Town Hall on High Holborn, while an older directory entry from 2022 lists Bury Place in Bloomsbury, so the office has moved at some point. Its members and events are spread across the country. Its autumn members' meeting and annual general meeting in November 2026 are planned for Loughborough, with an optional visit to UKRL, and in 2024 its AGM was held at the Port of Middlesbrough. It also holds regional networking meetings for members.
The people involved in RFG include a director general, Maggie Simpson, a chair, Chris Swan, and a board of members from across the industry; in November 2024 four new board members were elected, including a transport lawyer, a port stevedoring director and a leader of a digital platform for rail container services. RFG runs a cross-member mentoring programme in 2026, publishes the RFG News e-magazine and the annual Rail Freight Handbook, and holds yearly awards. Its sponsors include companies such as Colas Rail, GB Railfreight and Hutchison Ports Felixstowe.
The roles in a small association like RFG are in policy, public affairs, events, communications and member support, working alongside members who run trains, terminals and ports. Rail freight is a good example of how transport, the environment and the economy meet, since a single freight train can take many lorries off the road. If you are interested in climate, infrastructure and engineering, following RFG's work shows how an industry argues for change and who it talks to in Westminster.
Website: www.rfg.org.uk
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