by George Muir, Director General, ATOC
December 2007

It has long been taken for granted that the train is a greener and more energy-efficient mode of transport than the car, the bus, the heavy lorry or the short-haul airliner. There has recently been much academic debate about how clear-cut the advantage actually is, but although our competitors have perhaps become a little less profligate in their use of energy, rail's fundamental advantage – particularly over air travel and road freight – remains essentially unchallenged. We have to keep it that way, and suppliers to the railway have a key role to play.

There are powerful drivers for the railway to improve still further its record on both emissions and fuel efficiency. Firstly, rail helps deliver modal shift and will play an increasing role in future as Government maps out a way to reduce substantially the carbon intensity of UK plc. Closer to home, the price of energy for traction has risen in the past three years by 116% for diesel and 43% for electricity; further severe increases are in the pipeline this year for electricity. Next, the public and politicians are demanding that all modes of transport play their part in curbing global warming, particularly by reducing CO2 emissions. We now have in Douglas Alexander a Secretary of State for Transport who puts the environment firmly on his list of priorities, while the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats are making much play over the environment.

Then there are EU directives and domestic legislation on 'greener' energy sources, in the case of the railway Ultra Low Sulphur Diesel (ULSD) and biofuels; as they take effect we will need strong support from our suppliers. Finally there is the railway's need to keep clear blue water between itself and its somewhat improving competitors where energy efficiency is concerned.

For the first decade of the privatised railway, the industry had to concentrate on improving reliability and punctuality while coping with the sustained increase in business which has made the network the fastest growing in Europe. Improved performance means that we can now move on to meet the combined challenge of global warming and sky-high energy prices. ATOC has been playing an active part in tackling this challenge, as part of an industry-wide effort including the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB).

By running longer trains and filling up those in the off-peak, we expect rail's emissions per passenger kilometre to fall naturally over the next ten years. We estimate that the carbon footprint from the extra 28% in passenger volumes we expect over that period will be only about half what we are achieving per passenger at present. In addition, at least 15 cross-industry initiatives are under way to reduce the railway's contribution to global warming and keep its use of energy to a minimum. The less fuel we use, the lower the emissions attributable to rail . . . from the exhaust of a diesel power unit or the power stations supplying the National Grid from which our electric trains draw their power.

In some cases a single action can deliver both kinds of benefit: the re-engining of Angel Trains' HSTs for First Great Western is bringing a 15-18% improvement in fuel economy, a similar fall in emissions, an 18dB reduction in engine noise, greatly reduced wear and tear and an end to oil leaks.

In others, the trade-off is more complicated. ATOC-led research into the impact of ULSD and Sulphur Free Diesel (SFD), involving trials with three different classes of diesel unit, is likely to show the expected dramatic reduction in SOx and other emissions. Technological advances by suppliers are crucial to making this work well.

To achieve meaningful reductions in railway-attributable greenhouse gas emissions and energy costs, we have to secure improvements across the board - presenting new opportunities to our suppliers which I am confident will be grasped. We are having to rethink how we operate our present fleets, and concentrate urgently on designing the next generation of trains (notably HST2) to deliver the kinds of radical improvement that cannot be retrofitted: such as a reduction in weight. Trains have been getting heavier, forcing up fuel consumption and increasing wear on the track. ATOC's engineers reckon the weight of a new-generation train could be cut by 15% without jeopardising safety or comfort, generating energy savings of at least half that amount. We are also involved in international programmes to make new trains more fuel-efficient by reducing friction and power conversion losses and using more recyclable materials. The target there is a further 6% saving in energy, despite the projected substantial increase in traffic.

Diesel and electric traction present separate, sometimes overlapping, challenges. Actions to save diesel fuel deliver more immediate benefits, as train operators pay directly for the oil they use. With electric traction, the position is less clear because of Network Rail's charging regime for traction current, but the gains are still there to be made. Just how great they can be is now the subject of research led by ATOC, which has included installing energy meters on diesel and electric units to ascertain just how much power they consume under varied operating conditions.

The most obvious quick returns come from how trains are driven. With electric traction, the scope for securing economies from regenerative braking has been widely canvassed, but delivering the full benefit has not been straightforward. Many of the 60% of electric trains equipped for 'regen' operate on routes without necessary lineside equipment, and there are other technical and certification hurdles. Some look easier to solve than others, but the will is now there and Network Rail and the train operators concerned are pulling out the stops to boost the use of regen well above last summer's 15%.

OPERATOR SAVINGS

Drivers, signallers and train planners can all play their part. Drivers are now being trained in techniques to economise on energy use: gradual acceleration and braking, and 'coasting' where there is no need to continue applying power. There is even a move to bring back 'coasting boards', first used in the 1930s, which advise drivers where they can shut off power. A few survive on the Southern system. Signallers are encouraged to regulate trains so as to avoid sudden bursts of power, and train planners to set paths allowing for even energy use whenever possible. Improved punctuality saves energy: trains power up and brake less if they keep to timetabled paths.

Fuel and power are also being saved – and emissions reduced – by switching off trains when out of service. With electric trains, lowering pantographs and raising shoes in depot can bring worthwhile economies. So can making full use of the cut-off devices on an increasing number of diesel trains so that they don't carry on idling when stationary. More and more operators are saving fuel in these ways.

Energy use and sustainable development are a key part of owner groups' corporate strategy. Train operators are also competing to improve their own energy efficiency. First Group has reduced its energy use in depots by 18%. National Express has entered the Carbon Trust's management programme. The economies stretch well beyond energy for traction – 20% of the railway's energy consumption goes on things other than propelling trains.

Turning to emissions, ATOC has won the Bombardier Award for Sustainable Development for its work on ULSD and SFD. All diesel operators are gearing up to meet an EU target of using a 5% biofuel mix – which will reduce carbon emissions by 2% by 2010. Much beyond that and the land-take needed for biofuel could inhibit food production and endanger more of the rainforests.

There is plenty moving in the rail industry on curbing emissions and fuel economy, as shown by the sheer volume of research now being undertaken. There is agreement across the industry that much more needs to be done. Together, I am confident there is a great deal we can achieve. The railway supply community has an important part to play in getting us there.