European road freight prices dropped by 8.1 per cent in the second quarter of 2016, compared to the same period last year.

According to the latest Transport Market Monitor from consultants Transporeon and Capgemini, the price index for Q2 2016 sat at 96.3, which, despite to its 8.1 per cent decline, was 5.3 per cent up on the first three months of 2016.

The second quarter of the year typically sees a drop in transport capacity and that has been the case in 2016. However, capacity was still at its highest Q2 level ever since the market monitor began, with the 87.9 index down by 20.6 per cent on 2016’s first quarter.

Erik van Dort, supply chain director at Capgemini said: “Where this year Q1 prices were relatively favourable for carriers, Q2 turned out to be a bad quarter for them.

“Transport prices restored only partly from the usual Q1 dip and part of that was even caused by slightly higher diesel prices.”