Plans to electrify the UK’s railways fall so far short of UK net zero targets that it would take 240 years at current rates to reach the goal.
Data obtained by the Liberal Democrats shows that 448km a year must be electrified, and current plans would need to be increased eightfold to meet that target.
Lib Dems transport, energy and climate spokesperson Wera Hobhouse told the Guardian that the government’s “neglect and ignorance of the urgency needed to drive down transport emissions cannot be overstated.
“These latest figures are just another example of their claims of being world leaders in decarbonisation lying in tatters,” she added.
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The UK is planning to electrify 162.5km of railway track, which is about 12% of what is estimated to be needed over that period to reach net zero by 2050.
Last year only 2.2km of the track was electrified.
A spokesperson for the Department for Transport said it is “committed to delivering a net zero rail network by 2050, having electrified 800 miles of rail track in the last seven years alone.
“Our £96 billion integrated rail plan sets out plans for much more electrification, while we’ve also invested in fast-charging battery innovations and hydrogen trials through our First of a Kind competition,” it added.
Elsewhere, the Railway Industry Association (RIA) found the government is making insufficient progress on its key rail decarbonisation commitments.
RIA chief executive Darren Caplan said the report “reveals a concerning picture when it comes to rail decarbonisation.”
“The industry needs certainty and clarity on the commitments required to achieve Net Zero, in order to invest in the green technologies required and cut carbon emissions; at present, there seems to be neither.
“Alongside the environmental impact, this lack of progress means passengers will also not be able to benefit from the more efficient and modernised services that come with decarbonisation,” Caplan added.
