ScotRail’s investment in trains, stations, technology, and biodiversity is helping reduce the environmental impact of the railway.
During Scotland’s Climate Week (28 September – 4 October), ScotRail is highlighting the action being delivered through the Scotland’s Railway Climate Action Plan and its Ticket to Net Zero programme to tackle climate change and reduce the railway’s environmental impact.
ScotRail has continued to reduce its carbon emissions year-on-year, with further reductions expected as more of Scotland’s Railway is decarbonised and newer, more efficient trains are introduced.
The train operator expects the arrival of the Class 222 trains from 2027 to have a significant impact on emissions across its train fleet before further reductions are achieved through its wider train renewal programme, which will see a fleet of brand-new suburban trains enter service in the 2030s.
Scotland’s Railway Climate Action Plan, developed jointly with Network Rail, covers the railway’s activity to address the climate crisis between 2024 and 2029, focusing on five priorities: climate readiness, net zero, environmental management, biodiversity, and social value.
This includes:
- Decarbonising the railway – supporting electrification and decarbonisation projects, including East Kilbride, Fife, and the Borders.
- Investing in new trains – progressing plans to replace around two-thirds of ScotRail’s fleet over the next 15 years.
- Cutting energy use – using Optimise AI digital twins at stations and depots to monitor energy consumption and identify opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce fossil fuel use.
- Reducing waste – trialling Bennu.ai smart waste bin technology at Glasgow Queen Street to improve recycling and reduce contamination.
- Developing greener stations – progressing plans for Falkirk High to become ScotRail’s first net zero station, including plans to install solar car ports.
- Supporting integrated travel – developing stations as accessible transport hubs, making it easier for customers to walk, wheel, cycle or connect with other forms of public transport.
- Improving biodiversity – becoming a Gold Supporter of The Conservation Volunteers’ I Dig Trees programme, with plans to plant around 4,000 native trees through local communities in Scotland.
Graeme Baillie, ScotRail safey & sustainability director, said: “Rail has an important role to play in helping Scotland reduce its carbon emissions, both by making our own railway more sustainable and by giving people an attractive alternative to travelling by car.
“Our vision is to deliver a safe, sustainable, inclusive, and accessible railway, and that means putting climate action at the heart of what we do.
“We’re already making progress, with emissions continuing to reduce, more of the railway being electrified, and new technology helping us use energy more efficiently across our stations and depots.
“There is much more to come. Replacing around two-thirds of our train fleet, further decarbonising Scotland’s Railway, developing net zero stations, and making it easier to combine rail with walking, cycling, and other public transport will all help us continue the journey to net zero.”
Image credit: ScotRail
