Alstom has today published a report titled, ‘The UK’s New Green Age; A Step Change in Transport Decarbonisation.’
The report calls for a £10bn investment programme to be launched in UK rail and mass transit systems after research revealed that the UK is falling behind in comparison to other countries incomparable infrastructure.
France has over doubled the number of mass transit systems such as light rail, trams and underground trains.
Investing in mass transit schemes would help boost many regions of the UK which are struggling with the current pandemic, and which the Government have pledged in recent times to ‘level up.’
Leeds is the largest city in Europe not to have a mass transit system, while other areas like Tees Valley, Hull, Doncaster, Leicester, South Wales, Belfast, Brighton, Southampton and Portsmouth have been identified as needing investment.
In addition to the economic benefits, the report reveals the true scale of what these environmental advancements would bring, including tackling carbon emissions, cleaning the air and supporting modal shift.
Transport is the most carbon-emitting sector in the UK and requires urgent action.
To support green transport options the report also identifies the need for rolling out fleets of clean, zero-emission hydrogen trains to replace polluting diesel fleets trains. 300-400 hydrogen trains could be launched simply with a like for like replacement of diesel trains and would deliver huge environmental benefits, as hydrogen trains only emit water.
As well as investment in hydrogen, the report calls for the speeding up of electrification projects with existing initiatives such as Northern Powerhouse Rail and Midlands Engine Rail. These will all serve the multiple purposes of benefiting the economy, jobs and our environment.
Nick Crossfield; Managing Director of Alstom UK and Ireland: “Many areas need investment to help ‘level up’ and to bounce back from the challenges posed by COVID-19. Green transport schemes not only help areas to build back better but bring long-term environmental benefits too.
“They have a strong role in reducing transport emissions, improving air quality, and providing an economic boost for local areas. Green public transport systems provide some of the tools areas need to tackle congestion, bring greener living and lever in investment and jobs.
“Alstom is helping deliver these schemes across the world and we’ve seen the benefit at first hand. There is a huge opportunity in the UK to create a step-change. We can create a win for regions, a win for the environment and a win for the economy.”
Images: Network Rail
