It seems appropriate on Earth Day to highlight once again the environmental benefits of public transport in general and train travel in particular.

With the restrictions on travel easing, it’s been great to get out and about on the trains once again for days out.

And, as I mentioned in my blog post last October, the off-peak trains are virtually empty making train travel even more pleasurable.

But worringly I am in the minority with a survey of travel plans suggesting cars will continue to be the preferred mode of transport for around half of journeys post-Covid.

The report from the Campaign for Better Transport said the proportion of people who intended to use public transport once restrictions were lifted was very similar to the proportion who used it before the pandemic. In other words, the last 12 months have not shifted people’s attachment to their cars and reluctance to use public transport: how very disappointing that public attitudes haven’t changed.

Paul Tuohy, chief executive of Campaign for Better Transport, said: “Cars are the main contributor to carbon emissions and lethal air pollution, so returning to a car-dominated transport network is simply not an option post-Covid. Our research highlights that unless the Government does more to promote public transport and encourage its use, we cannot hope to reduce harmful emissions or build back in a way that is fair and sustainable.”

The latest provisional statistics on transport use from the Department for Transport show National Rail use creeping up – but motor vehicle usage racing ahead.

The figures (as a percentage of an equivalent day or week) show use of all motor vehicles (cars, light commercial vehicles and heavy goods vehicles) is back to almost the same level as pre-pandemic. National Rail use, on the other hand, is only slowly recovering with a slight pick-up in usage since the restrictions were eased.

More encouraging though is news from across the English Channel with French politicians starting the process to ban short-haul internal flights where the same journey can be taken by train. The move is designed to reduce carbon emissions.

The French legislation would end air routes where the same journey could be made by train in less than 2.5 hours.

Bravo. Tres bien. Vive la France.

“Going green should be about lifestyle choices and not just the train livery”

If Earth Day is to be meaningful, then it’s time for other politicians to follow suit and praise the environmental benefits of train travel.

Going green should be about lifestyle choices and not just the train livery.