Abstract
Freight modal shift from road to rail is a potential means by which negative environmental and social impacts of transport can be reduced. This paper explores recent supply chain changes and assesses their impacts on the mode choice decisionmaking process, specifically addressing the implications for the use of rail. Despite many of the identified changes effectively making the use of rail more difficult, considerable evidence has been found of the potential for rail to attract new traffic. Much of the identified potential is unlikely to materialize, however, without improvements in rail network capability and capacity and a greater customer focus from rail freight operators.