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Energy and fuels, Regional Rail, Stations/Interchanges, Other, All of UK, Europe
Let’s share the search for sustainable solutions
New thinking can turn railways even greener says Paul Salveson, but progress on both train and station designs that are more eco-friendly requires collaboration and cooperation across national boundaries
Paul Salveson
We’re a pretty insular lot – us Brits that is. And I reckon we’re particularly insular in transport thinking, and how we make the best of our railways and improve their sustainability. For years we swallowed the Government’s mantra that rail electrification was not an important idea, whilst everyone else around the world was busy electrifying like it was going out of fashion. Were we right and the rest wrong? I don’t think so, and the wheel has turned full circle....
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Time to put an end to the diesel polluters. The bus-derived Pacer train is not a sustainable concept, any more than was the steam engine. The challenge now is to find a clean energy solution for remoter lines where conventional electrification is unlikely to be economic or practical.
Growing the green station: Accrington in Lancashire has been the pioneer of the European "susStations" concept. It features eco-friendly and passenger-friendly thinking.
DR Paul salveson played a leading role in the formation in the late 1990s of the Association of Community Rail Partnerships (ACoRP). In 2005, he joined Northern Rail as head of government and community strategies and in 2008 he was awarded an MBE for his services to the rail industry. He has since worked at Grand Central as external relations manager, and is now an independent advisor. Paul’s website is www.paulsalveson.org.uk. You can follow him on twitter @paulsalveson and on facebook.

Your Comments:
23 Jul 2012
Well said, Paul.
Re replacing diesels, are there any EMU's with batteries under the floor to cover running on un-wired lines?
David HT Smith
[The Thursfield Smith Consultancy]
david@thursfieldsmith.co.uk