Freight transport by road Companies in the UK

SIC 49410Transportation and storage|177.5% formed since 2020|Data updated 4 Sept 2026
56,946
Active

56,946 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 8.4% dissolution rate — 56,946 of 78,275 registrations remain active. The sector is experiencing rapid growth, with 177.5% of active businesses incorporated since 2020 — indicating strong recent demand. 124% 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. 484 large companies, 128 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, September 2026

56,946
Active Companies
H
SIC Section
1900
Oldest Company
177.5%
Growth (2020s)
6.7 yr
Avg Company Age

A rapidly growing sector with 177.5% of active companies formed since 2020.

Incorporation by Decade
33%
59%
Pre-1990: 1,264
1990s: 996
2000s: 4,082
2010s: 25,520
2020s: 45,295

Data Signals

Governance
169,1556 src
Financial
101,86510 src
Compliance
24,79118 src
Risk
19,74011 src
operational
12,2051 src
Trade
2,5702 src
ESG
8886 src
quality
6474 src
growth
5032 src
innovation
992 src
corporate_structure
371 src
regulatory
11 src

Sector Overview

The freight transport by road sector has a <Link href="/glossary/company-dissolution">8.4% dissolution rate</Link>. The average active company in this sector is 6.7 years old. Geographic concentration: 7% in LONDON.

8.4%
Dissolution rate
6.7 yrs
Avg company age

Company Size Breakdown

Small: 345 (36%)Medium: 128 (13%)Large: 484 (51%)

Government Activity

Companies in the freight transport by road sector have been awarded 292 government contracts worth £1971.4M in total.

Frequently Asked Questions

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

There are 56,946 active companies classified under SIC code 49410 (Freight transport by road) in the UK, out of 78,275 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 332,501 data signals across 12 categories for active freight transport by road companies. The largest category is Governance with 169,155 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.