Locating in the UK - Transportation

The UK has an integrated transport system, of airports, seaports, rail and road. Which transport system you use will depend on your business needs and the kinds of products or services that you buy or sell.

Air
The UK has some of the largest and busiest international airports in Europe.

Leading international airports include:

- London Heathrow
- London Gatwick
- Leeds International
- Manchester
- Birmingham International
- London Stansted
- Glasgow
- Edinburgh
- Cardiff
- Belfast International

Road
The UK has a network of 417,000 km of roads, including 3,600 km of motorways. These are toll free except for the M6 Toll located next to the M6 motorway in Birmingham.

The road network provides for easy access to major cities both within the UK and in mainland Europe. Plan a journey on UK roads at the AA website.

In order to drive in the UK, you need a valid licence. If you already hold a licence that has been issued in another country, you may be able to legally drive in UK.

This will depend on where it was issued and your status as either a new resident or a visitor. If you have an ordinary licence, the likelihood is that you will be able to drive for a certain time or until the licence expires. You may then be able to exchange it for a UK licence. You can read about driving in the UK as a visitor or a new resident on the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) website.

In addition to a valid licence, you will need a minimum of Third Party insurance cover. Your vehicle will need a licence, also known as a tax disc.

Rail and sea
The rail network provides links nationwide and to Europe through the Eurostar connection and the Channel Tunnel. You can read about rail freight on the Rail Freight Online website.

Sea transport may be a good option if you need to transport large volumes of goods cheaply. There are a total of 100 active ports in the UK, handling over 550m tonnes of freight each year.