Recent and future sustainability achievements

Using the Sustainable Rail Blueprint

In 2024, we saw many companies embedding sustainability into their work. The Sustainable Rail Blueprint is providing the framework for them to do so. The Blueprint includes 11 different topics. Actions are aimed at cutting emissions, safeguarding the environment, and enhancing social value. The plans will not be identical for every organisation. For instance, Southeastern adopted the Blueprint when working to prioritise its actions on emissions, the natural environment, and social sustainability. Scotrail is using our Climate Maturity Assessment Tool annually to help with its preparedness and resilience for climate change.

Using the coordinated approach of the Blueprint is helping to reduce costs. We look forward to more rail organisations using the Blueprint in 2025 and beyond.

Emissions

We provide support across the sustainability topics, including helping the industry to cut emissions. We’ve issued guidance to address air quality and noise. We’ve also provided guidance to help organisations reduce emissions from their supply chains. This tailored support includes a workbook that helps suppliers reduce their carbon footprint.

Natural environment

Rail affects the natural environment in many ways. It also has to cope with a changing climate. We coordinated common climate projections for rail, and produced an easy-to-use guidance note about how and when to apply these scenarios. By using standardised projections, industry will avoid repeating work and continue to operate safely. We’ve also produced metrics to assess the impact rail is having on nature and water, as well as waste.

Research to improve rail’s sustainability

The work of our research and standards teams is crucial in reducing the carbon emissions of GB rail. Two research projects stand out here. In one, we looked at the feasibility and new safety mitigations needed to extend the DC conductor rail around the existing DC electrified network. South Western Railways and Network Rail are now developing a new project based on this research to enable the replacement of diesel-powered rolling stock.

In another research project, we looked at how traction electricity can be managed most efficiently. RSSB has a key role as an independent organisation representing the interests of the whole industry so is ideally placed to research this issue. Understanding electricity supply and demand is vital because multi-mode trains with batteries have been introduced. This is good because it reduces fossil fuel use where route electrification is not feasible, but it does need us to know how best to use the available power.

Near-term sustainability

What are we doing now, and what results can industry expect in the future?

Our research is exploring the issue of smart traction energy management in more detail. Building on our previous research, we’re now setting up a follow-on project with the University of Birmingham to identify what is needed in more detail. This has been developed by us in collaboration with industry. It’s very good to see that Network Rail, First Group, LNER, and train manufacturers intend to make smart traction energy management a reality.

Our standards experts are also helping the introduction of batteries too. We’re developing a standard for large, energy dense traction batteries. We have also developed standards on how to use multi-mode trains most effectively and safely.

Increasing freight’s sustainability

We are working to make rail freight more attractive to customers and help meet the government’s target of 75% increase in rail freight by 2050. Freight organisations would benefit from new route options. This could be achieved by revising sectional running times. Our experts are looking at this. This would reduce both journey times and carbon emissions for freight services.

Looking forward

The Sustainable Rail Executive (SRE), chaired by Richard Allan, addresses sustainability in its many forms. It oversees the Sustainable Rail Leadership Group and 11 technical working groups. These groups define our programme. For example, we’ll soon be doing research projects into fuels that could replace diesel, sustainability best practices from other sectors, and emissions from engines.

Whatever sustainability challenges you are tackling, there’s bound to be some way that we can help you. If you’re not already involved, get in touch! The more we know about your challenges, the better we can help.