CarlisleCityRMT

The Sustainable Case for Rail

Transport is the fastest growing source of greenhouse gases in the UK. Carbon emissions from transport account for approximately 25% of all UK carbon emissions, the fast majority of which come from road transport.

Rail travel is more environmentally friendly than other modes. Air passengers who fly between London, Paris and Brussels generate ten times more carbon dioxide emissions that those who use Eurostar. On the freight side, an average freight train can remove 50 HGVs from the road network.

The market has failed to encourage model shift from the private car to more environmentally sustainable forms of public transport. The overall cost of motoring fell, by 11% between 1975 and 2004 whilst bus and rail fares rose in real terms in that period by 66% and 70% respectively. Despite recent reforms that simplified ticket structures Britain still has the highest walk-up, standard rail fares in Europe.

The trend of high cost rail travel is likely to continue. In 2007 the Government announced a £1 billion cut in rail subsidy over the next five years and said the shortfall would have to be met by increased fare revenues, through increased passenger numbers and increased fares.

In addition, aviation continues at an environmentally unsustainable rate. Passenger numbers at UK airports increased from 100million in 1990 to 235million in 2006. In that year 1 in 8 of those passengers travelled on domestic flights. Forecasts for the future are that by 2030 around 480million passengers a year will use UK airports.

The Tyndal Centre for Climate Change Research reports that forecasted aviation growth will mean all other sectors of the economy will have to cut their emissions by 71-87% by 2050 rather than the 60% contained in the Climate Change Bill.

Compared to the situation on public transport, average air fares have fallen dramatically. An April 2008 parliamentary answer from Transport Minister Jim Fitzpatrick indicates that the average one-way air fare went down by almost 50% between 1997 and 2006.

Goverment must intervene to encourage modal shift to environmentally sustainable forms of transport by;

* Creating a fare and ticketing structure that is readily understood and affordable.
* developing a high speed rail system to provide an alternative to domestic and short haul flight.
* Electrifying the network.
* Incentivising the movement of goods by rail.