Rail electrification

ASLEF is campaigning for full electrification of Britain’s railways. It says this would make them cleaner, greener and quicker.

Electrified rail is significantly less polluting than diesel. Electric trains emit between 20% and 35% less carbon per passenger mile than diesel. But ASLEF says that at present only 42% of the railway is electrified, significantly less than most of Western Europe. The rest of the network runs on diesel, with the exception of a few small battery-powered lines.

ASLEF argues that carbon emissions from diesel trains are not just potentially harmful to drivers and passengers but can also affect people waiting in stations and communities living near to the tracks. In addition electric trains are quicker. They weigh less than diesel trains as they do not need to carry tanks full of fuel. They can accelerate faster, reducing the amount of time needed for station stops. They also cause less wear and tear to the infrastructure, saving money on repair and renewal costs.

The government has used cost as a reason to cancel several electrification projects either shortly before they were due to start, or part way through. It cancelled plans to modernise the line from Cardiff to Swansea, the Midland mainline and tracks in the Lake District in 2017.

ASLEF says the costs of electrification could be brought down significantly if the government was to implement a rolling programme of works rather than piecemeal, individual projects.