South Western Railway to reach netzero target by 2040

South Western Railway have announced a landmark commitment to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2040 at the latest.

South Western Railway (SWR) has announced a landmark commitment and roadmap to deliver net zero carbon emissions by 2040 at the latest, ten years ahead of the UK’s overall legal deadline to be net zero by 2050.

The Department for Transport (DfT) has backed SWR, in collaboration with Network Rail and other key stakeholders, to deliver the UK rail industry’s first robust, transparent, and cost-effective roadmap to net zero. This can lead the way for the decarbonisation of the whole UK rail network, soon to be overseen by the new Great British Railways, building a modern, innovative, and sustainable railway fit for the future that can attract customers back after the pandemic.

SWR plans to cut its carbon footprint with challenging, science-based targets, in line with the Paris Agreement to limit global warming to 1.5°C. This follows commitments made by FirstGroup in 2021, the first UK public transport company to commit to net zero targets. 

These challenging targets have been independently assessed and will be audited by climate experts at the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi), an internationally recognised authority which helps companies to set emission reduction targets in line with latest climate science. The bespoke roadmap to net zero has been designed according to the latest analysis of SWR’s climate impact: over half (52 per cent) of emissions are from supply chains, 45 per cent from running train services, and 3 per cent from buildings such as depots and stations.