North Lincolnshire Council is commissioning a feasibility study to identify opportunities to increase rail freight movements across its area. The work will examine existing railheads and sidings, potential new sites, network access and the commercial viability of additional rail-based services. It will also assess the wider economic, social and environmental benefits of developing rail freight infrastructure.
The initiative forms part of a broader examination of rail’s contribution to the region’s economic development. Funded through the Greater Lincolnshire Growth Fund, the £72,000 (€86k) study will provide evidence to support future decisions on investment. It will consider whether new or improved infrastructure could strengthen North Lincolnshire’s position as a major freight and logistics hub.
Council recognises need for specialist rail expertise
North Lincolnshire Council’s Director of Communities approved the procurement of the study on 23 October 2026. The decision, published on 6 November, confirmed that the authority would appoint an external consultant to undertake the work. The announcement comes two years after the infrastructure agency Network Rail committed to enhancing the region’s rail capacity.
The council considered carrying out the study internally but rejected that option. Its decision record cited insufficient staff resources and a lack of specialist technical knowledge of the rail network. The decision to commission external expertise indicates that the authority wants a detailed assessment of the practical opportunities for expanding rail freight.
Building on an established freight network
North Lincolnshire already has significant rail freight activity, particularly associated with the ports and industrial facilities around the Humber. Immingham is an established centre for bulk and other freight movements, while existing rail infrastructure provides connections to the wider national network.
An earlier Greater Lincolnshire Rail Study, prepared by JMP Consultants for the former Local Enterprise Partnership, identified rail freight’s importance to manufacturing and energy industries. However, it also highlighted network capacity constraints, with insufficient capacity to accommodate peak demand for some existing freight movements.
Potential for improved Lincolnshire facilities
The new study will assess existing railheads and sidings, alongside the potential for developing new freight sites. It will examine network access and operational requirements, as well as whether proposed facilities could support commercially viable rail freight movements.
The investigation could identify opportunities to serve businesses currently dependent on road transport, or to make better use of existing railway connections. Potential markets include construction materials, steel, intermodal traffic, biomass and other industrial commodities. However, the council has not identified specific sites or traffic flows for development at this stage.
Wider regional rail initiative
The freight study is one of two rail-related feasibility projects supported by the Greater Lincolnshire Growth Fund. The other is a £36,000 study examining additional passenger services between Doncaster and Scunthorpe. That work is intended to develop an investment-ready business case for reinstating an hourly Doncaster–Scunthorpe service and introducing Sunday passenger services operated by Northern Trains.
The freight study is scheduled to run until June 2027. Its findings will establish whether new or improved rail freight infrastructure is practical, commercially beneficial and consistent with local priorities, such as the continued presence of steel-making at Scunthorpe. The resulting evidence could provide a basis for identifying investment opportunities and developing more detailed proposals to increase the role of rail in regional freight transport.