Carbon and air

“To be a ‘net zero’ train operating company that is resilient to climate-related risks, whilst taking action to reduce impacts on local air quality from our fleet operations.”

We recognise our role within the rail industry to work towards the UK’s commitment to ‘net zero’ carbon by 2050 and support long term efforts across the industry to decarbonise, reduce impact on local air quality, and be resilient to extreme weather impacts.

Our strategic focus to decarbonise includes all aspects of our business, and we are committed to science-based targets that set us on a pathway which helps limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius. As a train operating company in the North and into Scotland, we continue to work closely with the Department for Transport, Transport for the North, Rail North Partnership and Transport Scotland on our plans to decarbonise rail, ensuring we take steps forward in line with Scotland's commitment to ‘net zero’ by 2045 and England’s commitment for ‘net zero’ by 2050.

As a partner on the Transpennine Route Upgrade (TRU) we are focused on implementing our TRU environmental strategy, supporting electrification, enhanced capacity and line speed increase. Our TRU carbon model reflects train and timetable opportunities that support our decarbonisation roadmap to 2050. 

Climate change adaptation is key to our established business continuity plan and station asset management plan. We will continue to prepare for extreme weather events and adapt our plans, accepting that extreme events are becoming more frequent and diverse, causing disruption to services and passengers. In doing so, we will continue to work closely with Network Rail as the infrastructure provider.

In addition, our focus on decarbonisation also supports our immediate action to reduce our negative impact on local air quality. Through our air quality monitoring strategy, we are focused on limiting tail pipe emissions through reduced idling, eco driving, and understanding the local impact associated with our operational plans. Through this pillar we are working closely with Rail Safety Standards Board (RSSB) to measure air quality and are working closely with the wider rail industry to establish an air quality improvement plan in line with forthcoming industry targets.

Our road to net zero by 2050 (PDF)