Can the car be greener than the train? - Which is really greener: car or train?

Could it be greener to take the car, rather than the train? One new survey suggests it might be.

According to a report commissioned by the Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB), Britain's reliance on diesel trains, which make up 60% of the network, is the largest of any nation in Europe.

The most advanced diesel on the network, the Virgin Voyager, emits 112g of carbon dioxide per passenger kilometre (g/pkm), compared to the best-performing electric train, which emits 40g/pkm. The average car currently emits 131g/pkm.

However, the figures used are based on average passenger loads, which for a car is 1.6 people and for a train is operating at one-third capacity.

This has led the pro-car lobby to point out that a family of four making the same journey in the car, rather than on the train, would emit less carbon dioxide per passenger kilometre.

However, the RSSB says that this is misleading. A spokesman said: 'Those figures sound good, but it's not comparing like with like.

'You should compare the figures for a full car to the figures for a full train, not one operating at one-third capacity. If you apply that, then the train will emit about one-quarter of the carbon dioxide per person than the car.'





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