Engineers Call on UK to Shift to Rail

"The Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) says changes are needed to government policies on transport pricing, energy and town planning."

"The report's authors say substantial investment in the railways is needed."

"Comparing emissions between various forms of transport is not a straightforward matter, as factors such as the efficiency of engines, the number of people on board and, for electric trains, how the electricity was generated all affect the final equation."

"IMechE calculates that on average London to Paris trips, people travelling by car generate two and a half times more CO2 than those relaxing in a train, while an air passenger produces 10 times more."

"But achieving a substantial shift from road to rail would need a coherent policy covering issues such as how secure passengers feel, the convenience of connections, the cost of tickets, and reliability."