The government has highlighted the huge social and environmental benefits that are attached to sea and rail freight transport.

Two schemes have been launched by the Department for Transport in order to encourage more companies to transfer their road-based goods deliveries on to trains and boats.

Firstly, the Mode Shift Revenue Support initiative is aimed at lowering the cost of moving cargo around the country via rail and inland waterway networks, thus removing more gas-guzzling HGVs from the nation's roads.

The Waterborne Freight Grant scheme helps businesses run coastal and short sea shipping services by reducing operating costs for up to three years.

Applications for each scheme will be prioritised during a bid round process and it is hoped the programmes lead to a significant reduction in the amount of carbon dioxide being emitted by the freight transport sector.

The government hopes to reduce the UK's carbon output by 80 per cent (based on 1990 levels) by 2050 and cutting the number of lorries being driven around the country is a vital step towards achieving this.