Freight transport by road Companies in the UK

SIC 49410Transportation and storage|157.7% formed since 2020|Data updated 22 Aug 2026
56,994
Active

56,994 active companies in the UK are classified under freight transport by road (SIC code 49410). This sector falls under Section H — Transportation and storage — of the UK Standard Industrial Classification. The sector has a relatively low 6.4% dissolution rate — 56,994 of 72,144 registrations remain active. The sector is experiencing rapid growth, with 157.7% of active businesses incorporated since 2020 — indicating strong recent demand. 115% of companies were formed after 2010, marking this as a sector with predominantly recent entrants. The average company age in this sector is 6.7 years. 479 large companies, 130 medium-sized firms operate in this sector. London leads with 7% of companies in this sector. Companies in this sector hold 292 government contracts valued at £2.0B. The sector's longest-standing company was incorporated in 1900.

Source: Companies House register via UVAGATRON, August 2026

56,994
Active Companies
H
SIC Section
1900
Oldest Company
157.7%
Growth (2020s)
6.7 yr
Avg Company Age

A rapidly growing sector with 157.7% of active companies formed since 2020.

Incorporation by Decade
35%
56%
Pre-1990: 1,269
1990s: 997
2000s: 4,078
2010s: 25,531
2020s: 40,269

Data Signals

Governance
172,4066 src
Financial
103,42510 src
Compliance
25,06518 src
Risk
13,08410 src
operational
12,2681 src
Trade
2,5852 src
ESG
8776 src
quality
6284 src
growth
5022 src
innovation
962 src
corporate_structure
371 src
regulatory
11 src

Sector Overview

The freight transport by road sector has a <Link href="/glossary/company-dissolution">6.4% dissolution rate</Link>. The average active company in this sector is 6.7 years old. Geographic concentration: 7% in LONDON.

6.4%
Dissolution rate
6.7 yrs
Avg company age

Company Size Breakdown

Small: 349 (36%)Medium: 130 (14%)Large: 479 (50%)

Government Activity

Companies in the freight transport by road sector have been awarded 292 government contracts worth £1971.6M in total.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many freight transport by road companies are there in the UK?

There are 56,994 active companies classified under SIC code 49410 (Freight transport by road) in the UK, out of 72,144 total registered.

What is SIC code 49410?

SIC code 49410 stands for "Freight transport by road". It belongs to Section H — Transportation and storage of the UK Standard Industrial Classification.

Where are most freight transport by road companies located?

The largest concentrations are in LONDON (3,957), BIRMINGHAM (1,732), LEICESTER (1,062).

What is the average age of freight transport by road companies?

The average active freight transport by road company in the UK is 6.7 years old, with the oldest registration dating back to 1900.

What government data is available for freight transport by road companies?

Our database contains 330,974 data signals across 12 categories for active freight transport by road companies. The largest category is Governance with 172,406 signals from 6 government sources.

Research UK Companies with AI

5.9M companies, 50M+ signals from 53 government sources. Risk scores, director networks, entity analysis.

Data is updated daily from official UK government sources including Companies House. Information is provided for reference only.