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Haulage companies in the Southampton area

791 haulage companies have a registered office in the Southampton area (SO postcodes), and 173 of them were formed in 2025 or 2026. In their latest accounts, the typical one held £6,757 in cash and owed £9,514 at year end.

Companies House register, 1 September 2026, and accounts filed in the last twelve months. Compared with the official category “Freight transport by road” (SIC 49410). Covers companies with a registered office in SO postcodes, including Southampton, Winchester, Eastleigh.

The numbers

Haulage companies in the Southampton area (SO postcodes) compared with the same category across the UK. Typical figures are medians.
MeasureSouthamptonUK
Registered companies79168,316
Formed in 2025 or 2026173 (22%)27%
Being struck off or in liquidation159 (20%)18%
Typical cash at year end£6,757192 accounts£8,909
Typical amount owed at year end£9,514391 accounts£10,608
Typical number of employees1416 accounts1

What this means if you’re starting one

More of these companies are closing than in most trades

18% of haulage companies in the Southampton area (SO postcodes) are currently being struck off, against 6.4% of all companies there. Nationally that rate is higher than 98% of UK industries.

Closures run high here. It is a churn signal, not a survival rate, but it means the common failure points are worth learning before you start.

Cash is tight in this trade

At year end the typical haulage company in the Southampton area (SO postcodes) holds £6,757 in cash and owes £9,514; that cash figure is lower than 88% of UK industries.

Typical operators end the year holding less cash than they owe, so there is little slack if takings dip or a big bill lands early.

Most of these businesses are run by one or two people

The typical haulage company in the Southampton area (SO postcodes) reports 1 employee; the top quarter has 2 or more (416 filings).

You are mostly up against owner-operators. Your own hours are likely to be your biggest cost, and the easiest one to undercount.

Planning a business like this in Southampton?

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What these figures can’t tell you

Companies are counted where their registered office is, which may be an accountant or a home address rather than a shop. Sole traders and partnerships are not on the register, and electronically filed accounts cover roughly 60–75% of accounts filed each year. The figures describe companies that exist; they cannot prove demand for your idea or predict whether it will work. How the figures are built.

Haulage in other places

Other businesses in Southampton

All business benchmarks in Southampton