Transport Decarbonisation Plan

Progress report two years on | June 2023 up to targets to reduce the 97% of NR’s carbon emissions that fall within ‘scope three’, meaning that they largely come from third parties, including suppliers. NR’s Environmental Sustainability Strategy includes a target for 75% of suppliers to have their own science-based targets by 2025.

This is positive, but it needs to be supported by specification and buying strategies that do not penalise low carbon solutions which are a little more expensive or simply new. By adopting RIA’s key decarbonisation asks, the Government will enable rail to play a fuller role in securing net zero, and also give the supply sector the certainty it needs to plan ahead and deliver efficiently whilst creating jobs, investment and economic growth.

iv) Planning for cost efficient delivery

Recognising the current fiscal challenges, RIA further recommends that there should be a cross-industry dialogue to establish a plan that maximises carbon reduction and rail service benefits within the available funding. This would aim to provide the industry with sufficient certainty to support investment decisions and a ramp up of delivery capability to deliver a programme for net zero rail. This could include examination of market solutions for financing the programme.

To stimulate this discussion, RIA will be developing further whole system proposals (including infrastructure and rolling stock) for interventions needed to efficiently decarbonise.

4. Progress review of the July 2021 Transport Decarbonisation Action Plan

In the following section we assess the progress at June 2023 of each transport mode against the commitments in the July 2021 Transport Decarbonisation Plan. Each commitment has been rated as follows: Red – commitments not met; Amber – commitments partially met; and Green – commitments met.

4.1 Transport Decarbonisation Plan: Decarbonising our railways

We will deliver a net zero rail network by 2050, with sustained carbon reductions in rail along the way. Our ambition is to remove all diesel-only trains (passenger and freight) from the network by 2040

This means that relatively short stretches of new infill electrification could allow a significant rise in the electric haulage of freight. We will pursue such electrification to maximise the benefits gained from rail freight.

Exploit new technologies such as hydrogen and battery trains by using the most appropriate technology for each route across the network.

We will also pursue options for electrifying the remaining diesel pockets of the third rail network. Further electrification schemes will be announced shortly.

The Plan for Rail will encourage more freight onto rail from roads, reducing emissions. We will support this by providing the right conditions for the rail freight industry to grow with better coordination, modern contracts, and new safeguards.

Currently, a mere 10% of British freight trains are hauled by electric locomotives and the UK lags behind its European counterparts when it comes to rail freight electrification.

CILT research

No significant battery and hydrogen fleet orders have been placed. The diesel pockets of the electrification network have not been resolved. In Nov 21 Transpennine and Midland Mainline electrification was announced in the Integrated Rail Plan Other schemes have been announced in Wales and Scotland. Although all welcome not all are funded.

Government must ‘pick winners’ by investing in low-carbon fuels for aviation and rail, says Transport Committee The report urges ministers to speed up progress with electrifying the UK’s railways lines, setting out that the government isn’t on track to reach a net zero railway by 2050.

Rail freight growth was mentioned in the George Bradshaw address but no progress since.

We will deliver an ambitious, sustainable, and cost-effective programme of electrification guided by Network Rail’s TDNS

We are supporting the development of battery and hydrogen trains and will deploy them on the network as we decarbonise. We will also use technology to clean up diesel trains until they can be removed altogether

We are building extra capacity on our rail network to meet growing passenger and freight demand and support significant shifts from road and air to rail

We will use TDNS to guide our work with partners across the rail sector to deliver an affordable, deliverable programme to fully decarbonise our railway.

We will exploit newer technologies such as hydrogen and battery trains alongside electrification. Deliver lower whole life costs than electrification.

We are committed to the construction of new lines to meet growing demand for rail travel. The government is already getting on with building HS2 Phase One and 2a, which will create 170 miles of new electrified track between London, Birmingham and Crewe by the early 2030s.

Hasn’t been carried out. RIA has calculated that the completion of all the known (but not all funded) schemes is less than 20% of the TDNS recommendation.

Prototypes have been completed but no significant battery and hydrogen fleet orders have been placed.

Both hydrogen and battery fleets have been ordered in Europe.

HS2, East West Rail and Northern Powerhouse Rail going ahead. But HS2 and NPR have both been cut back and delayed, for example the construction of parts of HS2 have been delayed and the Golborne Link and the Eastern Leg have been dropped.

We will work with industry to modernise fares ticketing and retail to encourage a shift to rail and cleaner and greener transport journeys

Offer simple options for passengers and enable cheaper fares at quieter times. This will end sudden price jumps for peak time trains and reduce the number of empty services.

We will preserve affordable ‘walk up and go’ fares.

On shorter-distance routes, we will increasingly move to contactless ticketing to improve convenience for passengers.

An investment of £360 million will radically reform and improve passengers’ experience of fares, ticketing and retailing on the railways.

TfL is in the process of phasing out its paper tickets, which is expected to be completed by 2024. Instead the integration of barcode “e-tickets”, will be boosted as the operator charges higher prices for paper tickets.

We will improve rail journey connectivity with walking, cycling and other modes of transport

In 2021/22 we will spend a further £2 million to improve cycling access to stations and increase sustainable journeys by installing cycle racks, security systems, ramps, and cycle paths through the Cycle Rail Scheme, building on the £40 million provided since 2012.

Ensuring better integration with other local transport services through Local Transport Plans will transform stations into joined up mobility hubs within local and regional transport networks.

Secure cycle storage, cycle/e-cycle hire, dedicated car-pooling parking spaces, and electric vehicle rental points and charge points will be significantly expanded, including at smaller stations.

We will increase the amount of space for bikes on trains wherever practically possible, particularly on popular leisure routes, and will make it easier to reserve bike spaces online and without reservations on emptier trains. All future trains will include more bike space relevant to the markets served.

Active Travel England is investing £32.9 million to create a national network of experts to work with communities, enhance high streets and make places truly walkable and cyclable for everyone.

Active travel is a priority for the government across councils and safer streets but at present are not being integrated with other local transport services.