The Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) has shared a new framework to help the rail industry make progress on environmental and social sustainability.
The blueprint sets out how train operators, infrastructure managers, rolling stock owners, the supply chain, government, and regulators can each play a role in developing sustainable rail.
It comes after the Department for Transport identified the need for a cross-industry strategy in 2020.
It is accompanied by a data platform to measure and monitor sustainability performance, and a learning hub to help develop the industry’s knowledge and capacity.
The blueprint sets out a path to meeting government policy ambitions to achieve air quality compliance by 2030, biodiversity net gain by 2035 and remove diesel only trains from the network by 2040.
There is an overall aim for a net zero carbon rail network by 2050.
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“As we look to achieve our net zero goals, this government-commissioned blueprint will become a vital resource for the rail industry, providing clear guidance on what the future should like,” said rail minister Huw Merriman.
He added that while “significant progress” had been made, the blueprint would “help make our rail network even greener, and ensuring the environment is at the heart of our decision making.”
Angel Trains CEO and Sustainable Rail Executive chair Malcolm Brown said: “The Sustainable Rail Blueprint is a solid example of what can be achieved through collaborative working across the GB rail industry ”.
He added that the blueprint will “help ensure we remain focused on affordability and practicality as we seek to make significant improvements to our operations as a whole”.
