The next phase of the Rail Delivery Group’s Green Travel Pledge carbon emission passenger data shows journeys along 100 of Britain’s busiest business routes create significantly less carbon emissions by rail compared to travelling by car.
On average across the top 100 business travel routes, taking the train for business travel produces nine times less carbon than going by diesel or petrol car, more than four times less carbon than using a plug-in hybrid electric car and almost two-and-a-half times less carbon than using a battery electric car.
Some of the business travel journeys with the lowest carbon emissions per passenger (compared to one person travelling alone by petrol or diesel car) include: London King’s Cross to York (produces 15.13 times less carbon), Darlington to London King’s Cross (produces 14.88 times less carbon) and Ebbsfleet International to St Pancras International (produces 14.41 times less carbon).
But the figure is as a high as almost 20 times greener for the route from Haymarket Station in Edinburgh to London King’s Cross which produces 19.85 times fewer CO₂ emissions.
This is the first time that detailed rail data from across the industry – including engine type, fuel type, journey distance, occupancy and carriage layout – has been combined to showcase the environmental benefits of rail travel for the top 100 business routes across Britain.
Jacqueline Starr, CEO at Rail Delivery Group, said: “We all have a responsibility to reduce our carbon footprint, and the data that we have published reveals that rail is the green choice for travel between our towns and cities.
“We know that businesses need accurate and reliable carbon emission data they can trust. From today, businesses will be able to see the most accurate measure of rail business travel emissions available for the 100 most popular business journeys. This will allow travellers to make greener travel choices by providing reliable carbon data when they book their next train ticket.
“This is an important milestone but we want to do more. We want to help business travellers to make greener travel choices. Having our Green Travel Pledge data available through global and domestic travel management companies and online booking tools will enable more businesses to choose rail as their first choice for business travel and reduce their carbon footprint.”
Clive Wratten, CEO at the Business Travel Association, added: “We’ve heard loud and clear from our members and the business travel community that consistency in carbon measurement is an imperative.
“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.”
Image credit: iStockphoto.com
