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Small Switch Big Difference

A small switch, like swapping 1 return car journey to train, could make a big difference in helping you reduce your carbon footprint

If every driver in Britain switched 1 return car journey to train, it would save the same CO2 as the population of Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Bristol and Peterborough recycling for a year.

We’ve partnered with Campaign for Better Transport(external link, opens in a new tab) to show you show how a small switch, like swapping 1 return car journey to train, could make a big difference when it comes to helping tackle climate change.

The combined carbon savings of recycling, having 1 vegetarian day a week, replacing light bulbs with LED and washing clothes at 30 rather than 40 degrees, as well as swapping 1 return journey a month from car to train, can reduce someone’s carbon footprint by 15%.

Watch our video

Rail is one of the greenest forms of public transport, and plays a critical role in helping tackle climate change. We’re encouraging motorists to swap their car keys for a train ticket just once a year. It’s a small switch that could make a big difference
Jacqueline Starr, CEO Rail Delivery Group

Choosing to travel by train can reduce traffic jams and air pollution while connecting you to the people, places and things you love. We’re encouraging everyone to think about which journeys they can switch to train to help tackle climate change
Silviya Barrett, Director of Policy and Campaigns at Campaign for Better Transport

Sign your business up for our new Green Travel Pledge carbon calculator

Our new Green Travel Pledge carbon emission data(external link, opens in a new tab) reveals that rail travel produces lower emissions than petrol and diesel cars for nearly 94% of 80,000 analysed business journeys across Britain.

We encourage businesses to demonstrate their commitment to sustainability by signing up for our rail emissions data and using it to promote a shift toward train travel for their business journeys. By signing up, your business will gain access to the latest rail emissions insights, empowering your business to make continuous, eco-friendly travel decisions. 

Start making a positive impact today and help build a more sustainable future.

Plan Your Journey

Campaign for Better Transport(external link, opens in a new tab) has been our partner on this project and conducted the data calculations and substantiation of the data.

View and download the Small Switch Big Difference substantiations and calculations (PDF, 550kb)

Find more information about your train company’s sustainability initiatives using the links below.

Train Company

Webpage

Avanti West Coast

www.avantiwestcoast.co.uk/world-car-free-day(external link, opens in a new tab)

Chiltern

www.chilternrailways.co.uk/sustainability(external link, opens in a new tab)

CrossCountry

www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/about-us/sustainability-strategy(external link, opens in a new tab)

East Midlands Railway

www.eastmidlandsrailway.co.uk/help-manage/about-us/policies/environmental-sustainability-policy(external link, opens in a new tab)

Great Northern

www.greatnorthernrail.com/about-us/corporate-and-social-responsibility/environment(external link, opens in a new tab)

Great Western Railway

www.gwr.com/about-gwr/what-you-can-expect/sustainability(external link, opens in a new tab)

Greater Anglia

www.greateranglia.co.uk/greener-anglia(external link, opens in a new tab)

LNER

www.lner.co.uk/destinations/travel-inspiration/green-guides/(external link, opens in a new tab)

London Northwestern

media.londonnorthwesternrailway.co.uk/about-us/commitments/sustainability(external link, opens in a new tab)

Mersey Rail

www.merseyrail.org/about-us/environment(external link, opens in a new tab)

Northern Trains

www.northernrailway.co.uk/travel/modal-shift-transport(external link, opens in a new tab)

South Western Railway

www.southwesternrailway.com/other/about-us/our-plan/sustainability(external link, opens in a new tab)

Southeastern

www.southeasternrailway.co.uk/about-us/our-commitments/environment(external link, opens in a new tab)

Southern

www.southernrailway.com/about-us/corporate-and-social-responsibility/environment(external link, opens in a new tab)

Thameslink

www.thameslinkrailway.com/about-us/corporate-and-social-responsibility/environment(external link, opens in a new tab)

TransPennine Express

www.tpexpress.co.uk/about-us/sustainability(external link, opens in a new tab)

Transport for Wales

tfw.wales/about-us/sustainable-development(external link, opens in a new tab)

West Midlands Railway

www.westmidlandsrailway.co.uk/about-us/commitments/sustainability(external link, opens in a new tab)

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