Rail passenger numbers at all time high

According to figures published this week, the use of Britain’s rail network, as measured by passenger miles, is at its highest level recorded since the 1950s.

The news may be of little solace to the commuters who put up with disrupted and overcrowded services, but the number of miles travelled on the rail network during 2007 reached a record-breaking peacetime high of 30.1 billion.

The Independent newspaper runs the story as its front page article and speculates that the increase is attributable to an ‘unprecedented demand for environmentally-friendly transport.’

A spokesperson for the Environmental Transport Association (ETA) said: “People are travelling more frequently by train because of the growth of the economy, congestion on the roads and the fact that commuting distances have increased – it’s wishful thinking to assume it’s down to environmental awareness.”

“Furthermore, despite the many benefits of rail travel, it is not always the greenest way to travel. Recently-announced plans for a £1 billion fleet of carbon-hungry diesel trains, which will remain in service until 2045, test the environmental credentials of rail travel; diesel Voyager trains on cross country routes produce 112g of CO2 per passenger kilometre – more than some cars and double that produced by their electric counterparts.”

What is the ETA?

The ETA is a not-for-profit ethical organisation providing motorists and cyclists with carbon-neutral breakdown cover and insurance products. As well as encouraging responsible driving to reduce carbon, the ETA campaigns for sustainable transport.