One day, six trains, 600 miles: Norman Baker makes coast-to-coast rail journey
Today, Friday 23 June 2023, Norman Baker will make an epic coast-to-coast rail journey from Newhaven on the south coast of England to Thurso on the north coast of Scotland, a journey of around 600 miles.
Norman Baker, Director of External Affairs at Campaign for Better Transport and a former Transport Minister, said:
“I’m really looking forward to my trip, which is certainly not something I’d say about a 600-mile drive in a car, or slogging to the airport to travel on a cramped plane. On the train I know I can relax, enjoy the scenery, read a book or get some work done – a lot of work, in this case! I also know I’ll be emitting far less carbon than if I went by air or road. I love train travel and I’m confident the railways will take me 600 miles reliably and in comfort.”
Setting off at 06:01 from Newhaven Harbour, Norman will travel via Lewes, London, Edinburgh and Inverness, arriving at Thurso – the northernmost town on the island of Great Britain – at 22:20. Campaign for Better Transport will be live-tweeting Norman’s journey from the Twitter account @CBTransport.
Travelling by car from Newhaven to Thurso emits almost five times as much carbon as travelling by train.
Travelling by plane from London to Inverness (i.e. the long middle section of Norman’s journey) emits almost seven times as much carbon as travelling by train.
Norman added:
“For clean, green travel with minimal impact on the environment, rail is the way forward.”
ENDS
For further information please contact the press office on 07984 773 468 (calls only no texts) or communications@bettertransport.org.uk
Notes to Editors
The above carbon comparisons for train (national rail), plane (domestic flight) and car (average petrol car with one occupant) use UK Government greenhouse gas conversion factors from 2022.
Norman Baker is Director of External Affairs at Campaign for Better Transport. He served as Shadow Transport Secretary from 2007 to 2010 and then in Government as Transport Minister from 2010 to 2013.
Campaign for Better Transport was founded as Transport 2000 on 6 February 1973. 2023 marks its 50th year of campaigning for all communities to have access to high quality, sustainable transport that meets their needs, improves quality of life and protects the environment. Campaign for Better Transport Charitable Trust is a registered charity (1101929) which operates in England and Wales.
