World Car Free Day: a small switch makes a big difference

22 September 2024  |  Jess Fitch  |  Cars

There’s much that needs to be done to improve the alternatives to driving. We’re calling on the Government to invest in public transport, along with walking and cycling routes, to make them a viable option for more people.

But individuals can make a difference too, by switching their journeys where possible. We’ve been finding out just how much of a difference a small switch can make…

Switching one return journey from car to train* saves the same CO2 as a person recycling for four weeks!

We’ve been helping the rail industry with a piece of research, working out how much carbon can be saved by switching journeys from car to train, and how this compares to other actions people take to shrink their carbon footprint. The rail industry is using our research to encourage people on board, including with this great video.

We found that switching one return journey from car to train* saves the same CO2 as a person…

• Recycling for four weeks
• Or doing 55 loads of washing at 30 degrees rather than 40.

And if we all make a small switch, the impact can be huge. If every driver in Britain switched one return car journey to train*, just once a year, it would save the same amount of CO2 as…

• Switching off half of the UK’s street lighting for a year
• Insulating 265,627 homes
• Or recycling 450 Olympic swimming pools of recyclable rubbish!

These figures show the amazing difference we can all make by switching a journey. And of course, train travel has other benefits too, as these passengers told us:

“My favourite journey is by train from Paignton to Exeter… I get to see a variety of bird life in their natural environment and if I am really fortunate a dolphin or two!”
– Rosemary, Brixham

“I love speeding along the West Coast Main Line between the North West of England where I live and Scotland… it’s faster and so much easier than driving on the M6.”
– Andrew, Manchester

“I travel by return journey to my local town centre by train because there is no worry of traffic jams or parking, plus I get to read the newspaper, look out of the window at the scenery and relax.”
– Susan, West Midlands

Our research with the rail industry found that more than two thirds of people want to reduce their carbon footprint. But many don’t realise the impact that their travel choices can have – switching a journey can be easier and more impactful than many other popular carbon-cutting activities. This World Car Free Day, why not share our findings with people you know, or better still, book a train journey with a friend or family member!

*The journey distance we used for this comparison was the average distance of a train journey. See the research methodology.