According to the Freight Transport Association's latest survey, domestic and road freight is as its highest with more than half of respondents reporting growth since 1997.

The most recent Quarterly Transport Activity Survey, showing the results for all areas of the UK over the past nine months, also adds, however, that not all areas are seeing such growth.

UK international hauliers continue to face tough market conditions, despite the best efforts of those concerned. With business expected to be generally unchanged in the final quarter of 2002, the survey's 139 respondents report an unchanging drop in fortunes since the final quarter of 2000.

Road congestion has increased dramatically in the third quarter of 2002, with 70 per cent of respondents saying the situation was getting worse and this is the steepest decline ever noted in the report. Meanwhile, rail freight is suffering from wagon and equipment shortages.

However, growth is expected for short sea shipping services which have enjoyed the strongest export performance since April 2001, although the picture is more mixed for deep sea services.

These are normally strong services during the run-up to Christmas, but the popular Far Eastern and Indian routes have seen a drop in activity recently.