Rail journey creates ‘13 times’ less emissions than flight

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A rail journey between London and Edinburgh creates 13 times fewer emissions than flying, according to a new carbon calculator.

The Green Travel Pledge carbon calculator was launched last week when it was also showcased at Business Travel Show Europe in London. The tool has been developed by sustainable travel specialist Thrust Carbon and rail data firm Fabrik working with the Rail Delivery Group (RDG).

The calculator, which analyses fuel type, journey distance, carriage layout and occupancy, found that a rail journey from London King’s Cross station to Edinburgh Waverley station produced 12.5kg CO2e of emissions per passenger. CO2e, also known as the CO2 equivalent, measures all greenhouse gases (GHG) produced rather than just carbon emissions.

This figure for the train journey compared to 165kg CO2e per passenger for an equivalent flight (13 times higher) and 136.4kg CO2e if the London-Edinburgh journey was completed by car (more than 10 times higher).

Jacqueline Starr, CEO of the Rail Delivery Group, said: “This is a preliminary result but it shows what we all know – that rail is by far the most sustainable travel choice for businesses and business travellers.

“We want to empower businesses to make greener travel choices. Businesses have been asking for a tool to demonstrate the environmental benefits of shifting business travel journeys from planes and cars to rail. We are now delivering this.”

Kit Brennan, head of product at Thrust Carbon, added: “Businesses always knew that rail was the greenest way to travel; but for the first time we now know just how much greener it is.

“This is the first time we’ve combined such granular data on occupancy, journey distance, carriage layout and a number of other factors to provide an accurate and reliable figure for greenhouse gas emissions.”

Clive Wratten, CEO of the Business Travel Association (BTA), stressed that “consistency in carbon measurement is an imperative” for the corporate travel industry.

“This initiative from RDG on behalf of the whole rail industry has the potential to provide clarity and a robust green message to all parts of business travel,” continued Wratten.

The rail carbon calculator is set to be rolled out for UK train journeys by the end of this year.

source: BTN Europe