08 SUSTAINABILITYSUPPLEMENT Shamit Gaiger


Head of National Programmes, Industry Strategy, RSSB


Cooperative


As part of its role, RSSB manages the Sustainable Rail Programme (SRP) on behalf of the industry. This is aimed at tackling sustainable develop - ment at a cross-industry system level, focussing on those areas which require significant cross- industry coordination or involve significant policy input. In 2009, the SRP facilitated the development of the Rail Industry Sustainable Development Principles which are fundamental to the role rail can play in a sustainable transport system as well as to the sustainability of rail itself. The 10 principles are: 1. Customer driven 2. Putting rail in reach of people 3. Providing an end-to-end journey 4. Being an employer of choice 5. Reducing our environmental impacts 6. Carbon smart 7. Energy wise 8. Supporting the economy 9. Optimising the railway 10. Being transparent.


The RSSB Sustainable Development team have been working with the industry to embed these principles at policy, industry and organisational


European Railway Review Volume 18, Issue 1, 2012


working to reduce carbon emissions on the GB mainline


The GB railway is a complex system made up of a large number of companies all of which share a common goal to deliver a safe, reliable and environmentally friendly railway while offering value for money. The Rail Safety and Standards Board (RSSB) provides support and facilitation for a wide range of cross-industry activities. As a not-for-profit company it is owned and funded by major stakeholders in the railway industry, but is independent of any one.


level. As part of implementing the two principles; Energy wise and Carbon smart, the rail industry has developed a Carbon Management Framework. The Carbon Management Framework


outlined in this article is designed to enable carbon and cost savings by the industry as part of its cross-industry periodic planning arrangements; in particular the next period of funding, CP05 (2014 to 2019). The framework will need the industry, the


government and the regulator to work together to implement it. When implemented, it will enable progress to a lower-carbon railway in both the short and medium term. This article focuses primarily on traction energy through the carbon management framework and is aimed at the whole life cycle of carbon.


Context The UK Government has set ambitious targets to reduce carbon emissions by 34% by 20201


As transport is a major, and currently


growing, part of the UK carbon footprint, there will need to be a significant reduction in transport emissions if these targets are to be met. Domestic transport accounts for 22% of UK Greenhouse Gas Emissions2


, with road transport


responsible for the major part of this. Much of the focus on reducing transport emissions up to now has been on road vehicles, and it is starting to have an effect. Emissions from new cars are falling, driven


by EU legislation and higher fuel prices. Beyond this, the potential for electric vehicles – both as low carbon transport and a new green manufacturing industry – has also been given significant priority and funding. Rail is already among the lowest carbon


modes of transport and is likely to remain so. UK figures published in August 20113


show that


national rail emits 53.4 gCO2 per passenger km (ppkm) compared to an average 127 gCO2 for cars. For freight, rail emits 28 gCO2 per tonne km compared to 127.2 gCO2 for HGVs.


However, in response to the challenge of and


80% by 2050, both from 1990 levels. The Scottish Government has the same 2050 target, but has set a tighter interim reduction target of 42% by 2020.


climate change the industry acknowledges that it needs to deliver significant carbon savings, even within the constraints of growth, improved service delivery and overall value for money. The latter in particular, offers a potential win- win, as energy costs are predicted to rise significantly in the coming years. Planning Ahead 2010; The Long Term Planning Framework document4, sets out a view


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