Keeping our trains on track

The railways have long enjoyed the image of a green mode of transport, particularly when compared to the environmental lobby’s nemesis, the petrol-guzzling car.

But last year this image was tarnished somewhat by research showing that on certain types of journey the amount of fuel used per passenger on trains is actually higher than if the same trip were made by road. No one with any sense would argue that regular train commuters should all jump into their cars, creating far more single-occupancy vehicle journeys and more pollution. But with car pollutant emissions decreasing each year, the train no longer appears the paragon of virtue it once was.

Trains are becoming heavier, with the latest vehicles produced for the UK weighing approximately twice the mass per passenger of those in Japan. EU emissions regulations for non-road vehicles will also begin to include new rail engines from 2011. These will set particulate limits at 0.025g/kWh by 2011, and limit NOx to 0.4g/kWh from 2014.