Trains & the environment

In recent years many people have become concerned about climate change. Many people are now choosing to travel by train because it is better for the environment than flying or driving.

Rail travel produces half the carbon emissions of car travel and a quarter of that of air travel (measured on a per passenger kilometre basis). Carbon emissions produced by humans are one of the main causes of climate change.

Modern trains produce less carbon emissions than older trains which has helped to reduce the train’s carbon footprint by 5% in the past year and 25% in the past 10 years.

A 'carbon footprint' is a measure of the impact human activities have on the environment. If you are keen to find out how to reduce your carbon footprint and learn ways to help the environment, have a look at the Act on CO2 website.

Train companies are committed to reducing carbon emissions and have schemes in place to make train travel ‘greener’ like brake regeneration. This is when electric trains return energy to the power supply when the train driver brakes. The train companies that use this scheme have saved 20% on the power needed to make trains run.

Other train companies are also doing things like training train drivers to drive in a way that saves energy, recycling rubbish left on trains by passengers and cutting down on food packaging on trains. All of which helps to make train travel greener.

What do you do at your house or school to be ‘greener’?