Comment: Modal shift still key to rail’s green agenda

Birmingham New Street signal and platform (Network Rail)

In the transport sector, the urge to decarbonise is manifesting itself in an increasingly frenetic push for the roll-out of hydrogen fuel cell and battery technology to replace internal combustion in everything from cars to small aircraft. These offer significant potential for decarbonising rail too, but should not be prioritised over the need to deliver modal shift from more polluting forms of mobility, argues our Managing Editor Nick Kingsley.

In the transport sector, the urge to decarbonise is manifesting itself in an increasingly frenetic push for the roll-out of hydrogen fuel cell and battery technology to replace internal combustion in everything from cars to small aircraft. These offer significant potential for decarbonising rail too, but should not be prioritised over the need to deliver modal shift from more polluting forms of mobility, argues our Managing Editor Nick Kingsley.

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