RIA urges government action to decarbonise rail

Representing more than 300 organisations across the rail supply chain, the RIA has identified three steps it wants the government to bolster the low carbon rail network. According to the RIA, the goals of removing all diesel-only trains off the network by 2040 and achieving a fully net zero railway by 2050 will be missed based on current projections. The three key steps it has identified are:

“Rail already plays an important role when it comes to helping the government deliver its net zero targets, constituting a small part of the problem but a big part of the solution,” said RIA chief executive, Darren Caplan. “To take just one example, a single freight train removes up to 76 lorries from our roads, significantly cutting carbon emissions.

“Rail, however, has the potential to deliver even more with the right support from the government. The Railway Industry Association’s new campaign, RailDecarb23, aims to secure progress on three key asks, on electrification, new traction methods, including hydrogen and battery, and ensuring suppliers never lose out for offering lower carbon solutions. If the government can work with the railway industry to deliver on these asks, it would put UK rail back on track to reach net zero by 2050 – a target which is currently set to be missed.”