Let’s make it easier to choose train over plane
The carbon footprint of making a domestic flight, say, from Manchester to London, or London to Cornwall, is more than six times that of catching the train. Considering the grave threat posed by climate change, we should be choosing the rail option whenever we can. And crucially, the Government should be making it easy for us to make the green choice.
So the decision to halve Air Passenger Duty on domestic flights from 1 April is a terrible one. Yes, it sounds almost like a bad April Fool’s joke, but the Air Passenger Duty per passenger on a domestic flight – from London to Edinburgh, for instance – is about to be slashed from £13 to £6.50.
In the context of the climate emergency, it’s hard to think of a more wrong-headed policy. Not only will it encourage more polluting travel, but it will reduce revenue which could be invested in sustainable alternatives. Rail passengers have just suffered the biggest fares rise in a decade and bus services are disappearing across the country.
We’ll keep campaigning for the cost of transport to better reflect its carbon footprint. But in the meantime, it’s really important that travellers are given clear information about the environmental impact of their journeys.
So we are asking you to take action, by responding to an important consultation.
The consultation is being run by the Civil Aviation Authority, which plays a vital role, regulating the UK’s aviation industry. It is looking into what environmental information should be provided to people when they book flights.
If you think travellers should be told the truth about the environmental cost of flying so they can make better-informed travel choices, this is a great opportunity to have your say.
Here at Campaign for Better Transport, we think travellers should be given clear information about the climate impact of flying. And if they’re booking a domestic flight, we think they should be told if they can make the same journey by train, and what the comparative emissions would be.
Wouldn’t it be great if airlines were required to give you this information before you book?
We also think people should be told how long their journey will REALLY take, including check-in and boarding, so they can make a fair comparison. If you think plane is much quicker than train, you might be surprised – as our Plane vs Train Race from London to Glasgow showed back in 2021.
If you think all of this is important, please respond to the consultation by 7 April. It’s a questionnaire that you fill in online. You don’t need to answer all of the questions, and we’ve put together some tips to help you.
Read our tips then respond to the consultation
For the sake of the climate, let’s make sure travellers get the information they need to help them travel sustainably.
- We would love to know if you’ve responded to the consultation. Please send an email to communications@bettertransport.org.uk simply letting us know that you’ve responded to the Civil Aviation Authority’s consultation on Consumer Environmental Information. Thanks!
