The Rail Delivery Group have announced they are to launch a carbon calculator later in the year.
As part of the Green Travel Pledge, an initiative that aims to encourage more businesses to consider using rail rather than other modes of transportation that causes more pollution.
The carbon calculator will offer detailed and reliable data on carbon emissions of any rail journeys at the point of sale to business travellers. It will do this by using data such as engine type, fuel type, journey distance, occupancy and even carriage layout. The data will then be assessed and a score will then be provided.
The calculator is being developed by Thrust Carbon and rail data company, Fabrik.
Jacqueline Starr, chief executive officer at the Rail Delivery Group which is leading the development of the Green Travel Pledge on behalf of the rail industry, said: “I’m delighted we’ve been able to combine decades of rail data experience from Fabrik with the widely-respected carbon emissions expertise of Thrust Carbon.
“The rail industry has a vital role to play in helping the country achieve carbon net zero. The Green Travel Pledge is being developed in partnership with industry experts and the wider business travel community to allow us to demonstrate the environmental credentials of rail travel.
“Businesses have been eager to have access to such a carbon credible benchmark for rail travel for a long time.
“This tool has been designed by the business travel community, for the business travel community, and we are looking forward to rolling out its full functionality for multiple routes later this year.”
Data from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) revealed that domestic rail was considerably better in comparison to a domestic flight. A rail journey per passenger emits 41g of CO2 compared to 113g per passenger for a domestic flight.
The carbon calculator is expected to be rolled out later this year after being unveiled at the Business Travel Show Europe Rail Zone today (Wednesday 28 June).
Photo Credit: Istock
