The Welsh government has published its draft budget for 2025-26 promising to “create the conditions for growth” and Josh Fenton, Policy Manager – Wales at business group Logistics UK explains why the logistics sector should be at the heart of this strategy:
“It is encouraging that the draft budget makes a commitment to ‘fix the foundations, invest in infrastructure and encourage growth’ but our members will be disappointed that there are no specific strategies or funding identified for the freight and logistics sectors.
“Wales exported over £20 billion of goods in 2022, enabled by the 8,000 logistics businesses and 90,000 people employed in logistics roles in Wales. These are the people making, selling and moving the goods that the country’s economy relies on every day and there is a significant opportunity for Wales, and the UK as a whole, if our industry receives the appropriate backing.
“To enable the logistics sector to maximise the benefit it can deliver to the economy and Welsh communities, Wales needs its own Freight and Logistics Plan. This should play a key part in a UK wide logistics network and recognise the importance of integrated infrastructure to link Wales to international markets and enable the delivery of goods in the most productive, strategic and green way.”
