Rail Industry responds to announcement of phasing out of diesel-only trains
Responding to the Government announcement that diesel-only trains will be phased out by
2040, David Clarke, Technical Director of the Railway Industry Association (RIA) said:
"We welcome this announcement as it will ensure that the rail industry continues to be one
of the most environmentally friendly modes of travel and it sets an ambitious target which
will require significant innovation from the industry.
"Currently 29% of the fleet on the UK's rail network is diesel. To replace these we will need to
install overhead power lines for electrification or use on-board energy storage from
technology such as batteries or hydrogen fuel cells - or a combination of both. This is
therefore a big challenge for the industry but one which I think it can and will look forward to
meeting."
Notes to Editors
- About the Railway Industry Association: The Railway Industry Association (RIA) is the
representative body for UK-based suppliers to the UK and world-wide railways. It has more
than 200 companies in membership and the sector employs 240,000 people and
contributes annually £11 billion Gross Value Added (GVA). It is also a growing industry with
the number of rail journeys expected to double over the next 25 years and freight set to
grow significantly too. RIA’s membership is active across the whole of railway supply,
covering a diverse range of products and services and including both multi-national
companies and SMEs (60% by number). RIA works to promote the importance of the rail
system to UK plc, to help export UK expertise around the globe and to share best practice
and innovation across the industry.