Rail Delivery Group wants businesses to make greener travel choices with new data showing rail carbon emissions lower than petrol and diesel car in almost 94% of 80,000 journeys

The latest phase of Green Travel Pledge data shows that carbon emissions are lower on 93.8% of over 80,000 rail business journeys compared to travelling by petrol and diesel car.   

The data available today (30 July) on Rail Data Marketplace has information for over 40,000 point-to-point routes, which in total includes over 80,000 return journeys from locations across Britain. 
 
Rail Delivery Group (RDG) is urging businesses to show their commitment to sustainability by using the data to travel by train. 

Once signed up, the carbon emissions for a particular journey will be available to business travellers at the point of sale when they book through a travel management company or an online booking tool, to enable them to compare rail with other modes of transport such as car or plane. 

This follows data published in February which shows that taking the train on the Top 100 business routes is on average nine times greener than driving a petrol or diesel car, and up to 80% cheaper than planes following research in April. 

RDG is encouraging businesses to sign-up to use the data to plan their business travel journeys, commit to environmental, social and governance (ESG) goals and adapt travel policies. Businesses who use the data will not only be making greener travel choices; their efforts  will be celebrated on World Car Free Day on 22 September 2024. 

Building on the initial launch of Green Travel Pledge, we continue to combine data on train occupancy, fuel type, exact journey distance, and other factors to create detailed, accurate, and reliable carbon emission data for all direct business rail journeys across Britain. 

Jacqueline Starr, Rail Delivery Group’s chief executive said: “We all have a responsibility to reduce our carbon footprint, so having our Green Travel Pledge data available through global and domestic travel management companies (TMCs) and online booking tools (OBTs) will enable more businesses to choose rail over other modes for business travel.  

“We’re asking businesses to kickstart a movement towards more sustainable travel, with data on over 40,000 business routes available, and we’d like businesses to showcase their commitment to sustainability by using our industry-leading carbon data to make better and informed business travel decisions.” 

Clive Wratten, chief executive of the British Travel Association (BTA), said: "The BTA recognises the critical importance of consistent data in carbon reporting, and the rail industry's Green Travel Pledge represents a significant and meaningful advancement.  

“We are delighted with the launch of phase two of this pledge, which includes an additional 40,000 point-to-point business routes. This will further empower our travel management companies (TMCs) to assist customers in making informed and sustainable travel choices." 

Dan Beauchamp, Vice President Amex GBT Consulting, said: “At Amex GBT, we continue to work alongside Rail Delivery Group to develop Green Travel Pledge.  

“With Green Travel Pledge, we have a robust, data-driven way to show customers how rail emissions measure up against air and car, enabling us to make informed recommendations on modal shift that support their sustainability objectives. We believe rail should be at the heart of business travel, as a sustainable way to power progress.” 

Sarah Ockendon, procurement manager at the John Lewis Partnership, said: “The continued development of the Green Travel Pledge and its output is critical for our business to take action in driving sustainable business travel.    
 
“It is a fundamental consideration in the continued development of our travel principles and the usage of rail travel versus alternate options and supports our focus on reaching our overall sustainability goals and aspirations.”  

This data has been developed by RDG in partnership with Thrust Carbon, 3Squared, Black Box Partnerships and the wider rail industry as well as support from the Great British Railway Transition Team.  

This is part of the rail industry’s Green Travel Pledge – a commitment to provide businesses with detailed, accurate and reliable data on the carbon emissions of rail journeys across Britain to help highlight rail’s environmental benefits.  

The data aims to create an industry benchmark for transport carbon emissions and is believed to be the most accurate carbon emission data ever created for rail business travel in Britain.