East West Railway Company (EWR Co) has unveiled a major step forward in its mission to deliver a net zero operational railway by 2050, confirming it has officially signed up to the Construction Leadership Council’s (CLC) Five Client Carbon Commitments.
The Five Client Carbon Commitments outline clear, practical actions organisations can take to demonstrate how they will cut carbon emissions and by when, helping the wider construction industry collaborate on delivering net zero outcomes.
Accelerating Carbon Reduction Across Design, Construction & Operation
EWR Co is embedding carbon reduction across the entire lifecycle of the new railway, which will connect Oxford, Milton Keynes, Bedford and Cambridge. This includes:
- Reducing carbon at both design and construction phases
- Minimising whole‑life carbon impacts
- Using smarter design strategies such as reducing material volumes, selecting low‑carbon materials, and improving construction efficiency
By signing the CLC’s commitments, EWR Co pledges to:
- Increase the use of low‑carbon concrete and steel
- Phase out fossil fuels on construction sites
- Integrate carbon considerations into procurement
- Adopt PAS 2080, ensuring carbon is treated as a core design and delivery priority rather than an add‑on
Innovative Proposals to Drive Down Emissions
Proposed routes to lower operational carbon include the use of discontinuous electrification, enabling substantial reductions in emissions without the need for continuous overhead lines. All new stations and depots will also be designed to be capable of operating at net zero from day one.
EWR Co states that embedding carbon decisions early in the design process will deliver the most significant long‑term impact.
Industry Leadership and Strong Signal to Supply Chain
Tristan Lincoln-Gordon, Head of Environment at EWR Co, emphasised the scale of the opportunity:
“The CLC’s Five Client Carbon Commitments give us a real opportunity to further accelerate low carbon delivery across East West Rail - whether that’s phasing out fossil fuels on our sites or eliminating the most carbon intensive materials from our design and construction.
"We want to encourage our supply chain and industry peers to innovate, collaborate and help us to deliver meaningful and lasting reductions in emissions over the lifetime of the railway.”
EWR Co says its carbon targets are intentionally ambitious yet achievable, and will be reviewed regularly to reflect technological innovation and rising environmental standards.
Further detail on the company’s environmental commitments is expected during the next public consultation this spring.
Image credit: iStock
