Rail emissions
Annual statistics covering electricity and diesel consumption of mainline passenger and freight operators in Great Britain and estimates of their associated CO2e emissions.
For details on how these statistics are compiled, please see our Rail emissions quality and methodology report and for information on any revisions, please see our Revisions log. We have also produced a Rail emissions data catalogue.
Rail emissions data were previously combined into the Rail infrastructure, assets and environmental release.
Data and reports that include historic statistical releases on Rail infrastructure, assets & environmental can be found on the National Archives.
Our statistical practice is regulated by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR).
If you have any questions or feedback on these statistics, please contact rail.stats@orr.gov.uk
Latest statistical release
Rail emissions, April 2022 to March 2023
Date published: 14 Nov 2023
Date next published: 17 Oct 2024
Key results
- In the latest year (April 2022 to March 2023), total traction electricity and diesel consumption for passenger and freight trains decreased by 1% compared with the previous year. As a result, total carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions decreased by 5% to 2,212 kilotonnes.
- Passenger train emissions per passenger kilometre was 33 grams of CO2e. This was down 31% compared with the previous year. This is due to the increase in passenger kilometres (up 37% compared with the previous year).
- Freight train emissions per net tonne kilometre was 26 grams of CO2e. This was up 2% compared with the previous year.
- We have published data by individual passenger and freight operator for the first time.
Previous statistical releases
Data tables
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Annual
- Table 6100 - Estimates of normalised passenger carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions
- Table 6103 - Estimates of normalised passenger carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions by operator
- Table 6105 - Estimates of passenger energy consumption and carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions
- Table 6108 - Estimates of passenger energy consumption and carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions by operator
- Table 6110 - Estimates of normalised freight carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions
- Table 6113 - Estimates of normalised freight carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions by operator
- Table 6115 - Estimates of freight energy consumption and carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions
- Table 6118 - Estimates of freight energy consumption and carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions by operator