She Came by Train and Conquered Swedish Schoolgirl Greta Thunberg Has Probably Done More Than Anyone to Highlight the Advantages of Trains
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PUBLISHED BY RAILFUTURE – THE INDEPENDENT CAMPAIGN FOR RAIL No 160 £2 July 2019 She came by train and conquered Swedish schoolgirl Greta Thunberg has probably done more than anyone to highlight the advantages of trains. Now TIME magazine has featured her on its front page and called her one of the world’s most influential teens. TIME has the world’s largest circulation for a weekly news magazine and its print edition has a readership of 26 million, 20 million of whom are based in the United States. Greta began her school strike for climate change in August last year, but she decided to stop taking flights at the age of 12, when she realised the environmental damage air travel caused. She travelled to the World Economic Forum in Davos by train in January, while the global elite travelled there in 1,500 private jets. The 16-year-old told them they should be panicking: “Our house is on fire.” Her protest sparked the international Fridays for Future movement which sees school pupils take direct action to confront politicians and business leaders. Classmates at her school refused to join her, but using Instagram and Twitter she won support. Many adults in Scandinavia though have been flight-shamed into booking holidays by rail, rather than air. Nearly 10 million people watched Greta’s speech to the United Nations climate change summit in December. In April, Greta came to London to address Parliament. British Prime Minister Theresa May accused the protesters of wasting teachers’ time but 12,000 scientists TURN TO PAGE 2 Great Greta! TRAINS ARE THE BEST ANSWER TO BOTH CLIMATE CHANGE AND POLLUTION FROM PAGE 1 backed Labour leader Jeremy are waking up to the massive signed a letter in support of Corbyn’s call to declare a climate problems of pollution that road- the youth protests and German emergency. based policies have created. Chancellor Angela Merkel said Green party MP Caroline Lucas The British government, after Graphic: MEMRAP the protesters were welcome. warned: “Politicians who fail losing three cases at the High Greta answered Mrs May: to respond will be judged by Court for not doing enough to “We will go back to school the history far less kindly than those tackle air pollution, has ordered moment you start listening to striking or taking to the streets.” 36 councils to bring levels of science and give us a future. Is Greta however is realistic. nitrogen dioxide within legal that really too much to ask?” She said: “I am not going to limits “in the shortest possible The Euronews website also be this interesting for long. time”. investigated Mrs May’s 39 Brexit- This attention is soon going Katie Nield, a lawyer with related trips in Europe, mainly to fade out. I just hope that ClientEarth which challenged to Brussels. Her plane, an Airbus the attention sticks to the the Government in court, said A330, burns five tonnes of fuel movement.” she was disappointed with an hour. Brussels is of course Campaigning for better rail the councils’ approach to air served by Eurostar. services is just one way to help pollution. American president Donald prevent climate change. “Some councils are being more Trump meanwhile uses a jumbo British travellers can reach most Greta on the front page of the ambitious, for example in jet to go off to play golf most European cities by direct flights July 2019 edition of WIRED Birmingham they are putting weekends and to rallies to deny but not by direct trains. Rail has their necks on the line to make climate change. the infrastructure to offer similar to call for “A New Green Deal those decisions. In March Greta was nominated direct links but politicians and for Europe” with massive “But others are backtracking for the Nobel peace prize. the industry do not have the will investment in railways to limit on previous commitments and to run the trains. road transport. One idea is a delaying finalising proposals.” Norwegian MP Freddy André green foundation to invest in At the moment, Eurostar has The Welsh Government, Øvstegård said: “If we do railways so that the biggest direct links to just a handful of however, has been brave in nothing to halt climate change it cities in Europe can be linked by major European cities, and plans abandoning the 14-mile will be the cause of wars, conflict high speed trains. and refugees. Greta Thunberg by Deutsche Bahn to launch £1.4 billion M4 “relief” road has launched a mass movement, direct trains to London seem to Going by train produces 27 project. Railfuture must now DALES LINK: The missing 12 miles shown in diagrammatic form with the Monsal Trail and the Peak Rail heritage operation a major contribution to peace.” have disappeared. times less carbon dioxide than develop rail options to present After Greta addressed the Five European political parties driving a car the same distance. to the official commission British Parliament in April, MPs have however joined forces Many cities around the world seeking M4 alternatives. Chair’s column: Electrification is the key to real capacity gains Dales link wins new friends By Stephen Chaytow contractors to lend their support. trains between Matlock and Greenwood and Stephen By Chris Page the North – and operated as more tracks and longer trains and Anthony Kay The campaigners have however Rowsley. The purpose of the Chaytow also attended a [email protected] concessions. If these services to provide the extra capacity A reinvigorated campaign to cleared one hurdle. meeting with Peak Rail is to seek Transport for the North event in People who are considering need public financial support, needed, and investment in bring back passenger trains to They were pleased with the alignment of MEMRAP’s public March. joining Railfuture are likely then the case can be better electrification to reduce rail’s the Midland Railway’s former positive response that emerged service reinstatement with Peak Joined by Peter Wakefield, head to have an interest in rail made locally on local economic carbon footprint and keep pace route from Matlock to Buxton in May, after they went to Rail’s pre-existing consortium, of Railfuture’s freight group, so will want to know our and social inclusion benefits. with improvements in road’s and Chinley is winning friends a Midlands Development which is focused on community, they presented their vision for position on the key issues Inter-city services should environmental credentials. and arguments. Conference at the Ricoh Stadium heritage and freight. The Mott The Peaks and Dales Rail Link. for the rail industry. We put continue to be let as franchises, in Coventry which MacDonald Electrification Campaigners, supported by team includes MEMRAP highlighted an franchising, climate change and but the franchise competition Railfuture resources, have was attended by emissions study from the electrification at the top. must take more account of Electric trains are cheaper transport opinion the development attended a series of events to director of East University of Derby, funded the wider benefits and the to operate than diesel. The present the case for reopening. formers, including by the European Union, which Franchising previous record of the bidders. purchase costs are lower and Midlands Connect Lancashire Railway, Now Transport for the North so it is hoped that shows how carbon dioxide Competing services by different they are more energy-efficient, director Maria emissions could be reduced by Dick Fearn, one of the members has asked for a strategic outline the interests of operators, as proposed by RDG, more reliable, and cost less to Machancoses. re-routing freight trains on to the of the Williams Review panel, business case to be drawn up so Peak Rail will be will only work where there is maintain. reopened route, together with a found two common themes in the idea can be considered fully. Copies of carefully taken spare capacity. They produce less pollution Picture: LLOYD BUTLER modal shift of passengers from talking to members of the rail Railwatch 159, into consideration. industry – a lack of strategic than all the alternative forms Mott McDonald estimates that which contained road to rail. Climate change of traction, and offer the compiling a business case will Achieving a direction and leadership, and a a short report on compromise on By re-routing just 38 loaded decision-making process which Climate change is perhaps the possibility of zero emissions Railfuture chair Chris Page cost £100,000, so the immediate the reopening task will be identifying a source mixing community freight trains over a reopened is asphyxiating. biggest threat to the future of if electricity is generated scheme, were made Matlock-Buxton line (away from our planet. To reduce climate sustainably. of funds. and heritage rail The Rail Delivery Group is emissions will justify the capital available to the services may the Hope Valley Manchester- change we must use more Electrification is the only way to spend. The alternatives to full The local enterprise partnership delegates. Sheffield route), 150,000 suggesting a new organisation sustainable forms of transport, well be a tough provide the additional capacity electrification – battery and and Derbyshire County Council challenge for this kilograms of carbon dioxide to manage the industry, but and travel less. Rail offers One of the some strategic decisions are needed to accommodate even hydrogen – have a place will almost certainly need to be particular line, could be saved. the most sustainable form of rail travel growth without involved. problems of political, so a new organisation transport other than walking on lightly used routes where Monsal Trail but solutions In addition, if the equivalent of increasing operating costs and But the LEP for Derby, reopening which would have to refer them to or cycling, but is already over electrification is not financially have been found 100 annual commuters between therefore requiring government Derbyshire, Nottingham and Transport for the the Department for Transport capacity at times when people justified.