Eurostar has set a target of reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 25 percent per traveller journey by 2012. Eurostar says that the CO2 impact of a Eurostar rail journey between London and Paris or Brussels is already at least 10 times less than the equivalent journey by plane.
Eurostar says it will further cut CO2 emissions per traveller journey by reducing the power consumption on its rolling stock, making better use of train capacity, and sourcing more electricity from lower emission generators.
Eurostar also says that from 14 November 2007, when it launches 23-25 minute shorter journeys from its new central London terminal at St Pancras International, it will become the world’s first rail service -? and the world’s largest mass transport operator – to go carbon neutral.
Eurostar says that, “Unlike other transport operators, who ask passengers to volunteer to offset CO2 emissions at their own expense, we will bear the cost of making every journey carbon neutral -? we will not charge a penny extra.”
British Airways was recently accused of failing to properly market a program that allowed passengers to “volunteer” to offset emissions by paying extra.
The news comes a few weeks after Virgin Trains launched a £3.5m green marketing campaign.