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Road Freight

Road Freight Services UK – Fast, Reliable Pallet Delivery & Haulage

When you need road freight services UK shippers trust for speed, reliability and cost control, Freight Connect Services delivers. We move pallets, part loads and full truck loads nationwide and across Europe, then join up customs clearance, bonded warehousing, and last-mile delivery. As a result, your shipments flow smoothly from booking to proof of delivery.

Why choose our road freight over alternatives

Road offers the ideal balance of transit speed, flexibility and price for UK and near-Europe lanes. Moreover, timed collections, live tracking, and flexible vehicle choices keep inventory moving while protecting service levels to your customers. Consequently, you can consolidate, accelerate, or scale capacity as demand changes.

What makes us different

  • Service choice: FTL, LTL/groupage, pallet network, same-day/express
  • Coverage: UK, Ireland and key EU hubs with compliant cross-border processes
  • Visibility: Milestone updates from pickup to POD
  • Compliance: Drivers’ hours, tachographs, load security and weights adhered to (see official guidance links below)

Service levels tailored to your shipment

Different loads require different approaches. Therefore, we offer multiple service levels so you always get the best value for the deadline.

Full Truck Load
(FTL)

Dedicated vehicle for your cargo. Predictable transits, minimal handling, ideal for high-value or time-sensitive freight.

Less-than-Truckload (LTL) / Groupage

Share space and cost with reliable hub-and-spoke linehauls. Planned departures reduce dwell time while protecting your budget.

Pallet Delivery

Standardised pallet movements with tail-lift or curtain-sider options for sites without docks. We coordinate booking-in at RDCs and retail distribution centres.

Same-day & Express Vans

When timing is critical, our express vans or dedicated rigids reach your customer the same day, with direct drive and live updates.

road freight services UK

UK & EU road haulage — rules that affect planning

To keep your cargo compliant and on time, we align operations with official UK and international rules:
Drivers’ hours & tachographs (GV262) — mandated rest and working time rules; our carriers follow DVSA guidance. GOV.UK
Smart Tachograph 2 (ST2) timelines — ST2 required in specific scenarios and dates for vehicles on international journeys; we ensure vehicles are equipped when applicable. GOV.UK
HGV weight limits — vehicle weights and axle limits to protect roads and bridges; we match the right unit to your load. GOV.UK
Cabotage & cross-trade — after a UK delivery into the EU, only certain onward jobs are allowed within specific time limits; we route legally to avoid penalties. GOV.UK
Load securing — DVSA’s code of practice for safe loading and tie-down; we insist on compliant restraint methods. GOV.UK

International road freight — customs, transit & documents

Cross-border road requires the right documents and border processes. To reduce delays, we prepare and check each item thoroughly.

CMR consignment note

CMR is the standard international road consignment note and evidence of your carriage contract across most European countries.
Learn more: https://unece.org/ (search “CMR Convention” or see UNECE resources) UNECE

Common Transit (NCTS) & GVMS

For movements under the Common Transit Convention, you submit a transit declaration in NCTS to generate an MRN, then create a Goods Movement Reference (GMR) in GVMS before crossing. We coordinate these steps and ensure the Transit Accompanying Document (TAD) travels with the goods.
Guidance: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/get-a-goods-movement-reference GOV.UK+1
road freight services UK

Operational details that save you time (and cost)

Booking-in

We pre-book RDCs and coordinate paperwork so vehicles aren’t turned away.

Tail-lift & MHE

We arrange tail-lift deliveries and advise on loading gear.

Site access

We confirm opening hours, vehicle height/weight limits and restrictions ahead of time.

Pallet presentation

Good packaging, footprint and labelling reduce claims and speed handling.

Load securing

Correct restraints prevent damage and incidents (see DVSA guidance). Link again for convenience: GOV.UK

Specialist road services

ADR dangerous goods (road)

We move DG under the ADR framework, with compliant packaging, labelling and vehicle equipment.
Overview: https://unece.org/about-adr (ADR resources via UNECE) UNECE

Temperature-controlled

Chilled or frozen products require validated trailers, route checks and prioritised loading. We protect the cold chain from collection to delivery.

Abnormal or out-of-gauge loads

Oversize moves require notifications and, sometimes, escorts and structure checks. In England, use National Highways’ ESDAL portal; police and bridge authorities may need notice.
Guidance: https://nationalhighways. co.uk/ road-safety/abnormal-loads-and-the-esdal-system/ and aide-mémoire (PDF): https://nationalhighways.co.uk/ media/ox4pi2ge/aide-memoire-notification-requirements-for-moving-abnormal-loads.pdf nationalhighways.co.uk

Vehicles & capacities (right truck, right job)

We match the vehicle to your site constraints and load: small vans for urgent cartons, 7.5t & 18t rigids for urban drops, 26t rigids for heavier pallets, and articulated 44t units for high-volume moves. For an official overview of UK lorry types and legal weights, see the government’s simplified guide (PDF).
GOV.UK

Pricing — how road freight quotes are built

Road pricing considers: lane and distance, urgency, service level (FTL vs LTL), vehicle type, loadability (stackable vs non-stackable), weight/volume, load security requirements, ferry/tunnel charges and customs/transit costs where applicable. We benchmark multiple carriers and, where sensible, build back-loads to keep your rate competitive.

Sustainability & efficiency options

We reduce empty running with back-loads and optimise routes to cut mileage. Moreover, consolidating LTL flows and using near-port warehousing helps lower transport emissions while maintaining service.

How to book — four simple steps

1

Share shipment details

origin, destination, commodity, pallets/dims/weight, stackability, access constraints and ready time.

2

Choose your
option

FTL vs LTL vs express, with clear ETAs and cut-offs.

3

Confirm &
prepare

we send labels and loading guidance; we book collection.

4

Track, deliver, confirm

milestone updates and POD on completion.

Request a Fast Air Freight Quote

FAQs — Road Freight Services UK

What’s the difference between FTL and LTL/groupage?
FTL dedicates the whole vehicle to you for the fastest, lowest-handling move. LTL/groupage shares space to lower cost with planned departures.
Yes. We can provide tail-lift vehicles and arrange pallet trucks; please tell us about site access or restrictions at booking.
Yes, under ADR with compliant packaging, labels and documentation. (See UNECE ADR resources.)
ADR overview: https://unece.org/about-adr UNECE
Typically: CMR consignment note, commercial invoice, packing list, and any certificates. For transit, we handle NCTS declarations and create the GMR in GVMS.
NCTS: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/using-the-new-computerised-transit-system-to-move-goods-across-the-eu-and-efta-countries | GVMS/GMR: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/get-a-goods-movement-reference GOV.UK
We and our carrier partners follow drivers’ hours and tachograph rules, and deploy Smart Tachograph 2 on international trips where required.
DVSA rules: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/drivers-hours-goods-vehicles | ST2: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/approved-tachograph-centre-special-notice-01-23 GOV.UK
Yes. We manage notifications, escorts and structure checks via ESDAL and follow National Highways and NPCC guidance.
ESDAL: https://nationalhighways.co.uk/road-safety/abnormal-loads-and-the-esdal-system/ | Aide-mémoire PDF: https://nationalhighways.co.uk/media/ox4pi2ge/aide-memoire-notification-requirements-for-moving-abnormal-loads.pdf nationalhighways.co.uk