This paper presents a methodology to evaluate rail-road freight policies such as new services and/or incentives for long- distance freight transport by using a mixed what-if/what-to approach.
The port of Mombasa is the main gateway to the region but the railway's age and neglect means just 5% of long-distance freight in Kenya goes by train, according to KRC, compared with 90% in countries such as India and China.
However, this affects long-distance freight transport – precisely defined as flows between zones situated inside the LAMA and external regions (outside LAMA).
Crisalli et al. [6] investigated the connection between rail and road freight policy for long-distance freight transport with an emphasis on freight demand.
After industrialization in the late nineteenth century, the railway and later the truck overtook the role as the main mode for long-distance freight transport.
Despite the investment needed, the positives offered by long-distance freight rail are numerous, allowing for large reductions in congestion, huge economies of scale and much lower fuel consumption when compared to road-based transportation.
On its current track, Network Rail has refused additional services, saying the volume of trains – a mix of commuter, long-distance and freight, intersecting with local services – has filled the west coast mainline to capacity.
In the proposed transport system, freight is firstly delivered to the UDC through trucks or trains which perform the long distance transport.
