Philippa Edmunds, Freight on Rail Manager explains how Government should align its rail freight policies with comparative industries. The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) report, issued on June 28, 2018 paints a damning picture of the Government’s environmental record on transport, which is now the largest emitting sector of the UK economy.
Transport is the only sector which grew between 2012 and 2017 and is responsible for 28 per cent of overall UK carbon dioxide emissions. In 2017, HGVs were responsible for 17 per cent of emissions whilst only accounting for five per cent of miles driven.
The CCC stated that the Department for Transport (DfT) Freight Carbon Review identified ‘little concrete action’ and that the Government should reduce emissions from freight by shifting freight from road to rail.
But it’s not just carbon emissions, we must also reduce road freight’s effect on congestion, and rail is well placed to offer a safer, cleaner long-distance alternative which reduces road congestion for both consumer traffic as well as the traditional bulk cargoes.
For more on this, see the article in February’s “Modern Railways” abut the activities of “ROG” ( A TOC ) & their planned move into freight, including a tri-mode class 5 loco.
[ Very similar to a presentation I heard from their MD in November … ]
* ROG = Rail Operations Group *