Flights pollute more than rail

Train Chartering in the UK has highlighted the environmental benefits of train travel compared to air or road transportation by publishing headline facts and figures on www.trainchartering.com.

Recent research by consultant Paul Gridley for Train Chartering has identified the lack of a single online source of the comparative benefits of rail vs other transportation modes.

Train Chartering's data shows a train uses up to 70% less energy and causes up to 85% less air pollution than an aircraft.

Aircrafts taking off and landing use a great deal of fuel, producing extremely high emissions of CO² per passenger. Short 1 hour flights appear to have the greatest environmental impact, while intercity trains are easiest on the environment for the equivalent journey.

"Although everyone knows that air travel is polluting, comparing the resulting emissions with those of a train is startling. How can any environment-aware organisation use aircraft for charters and groups travelling between cities that are linked by an efficient rail service?" Simon Pielow, Train Chartering said.

"Business travel agents are increasingly offering their corporate clients the ability to select which flight to book based on carbon impact. This activity now needs to include comparisons with rail alternatives in order to present the whole picture," Gridley said.

Ed: Sounds good if you have a couple of days spare to get down to Melbourne and back.