More and more companies appear to be wising up to the benefits of switching their deliveries from the road on to rail.

Logistics chiefs at Co-operative Food said they had been sceptical about rail freight services until recently, mainly because of the extra cost, the Loadstar reports.

However, Justin Kirkhope - project manager of logistics strategy - at the company told the website that issues such as temperature control and tracking that had prevented the firm from using trains have now been overcome and he has been won over.

"We now send 25 per cent of product by rail on this route. We're saving 800,000 km of road miles and 500 tonnes of CO2 per year," Mr Kirkhope was quoted as saying.

He added that rail freight has proven to be more reliable than road deliveries and he is clearly not the only transport specialist who feels this way.

Rail freight has grown in popularity in the last few years and Network Rail estimates that it contributes £870 million to the economy.