'New ambition': Government targets 2040 phase-out for diesel trains

Madeleine Cuff
clock • 2 min read

Rail minister Jo Johnson calls for an end to diesel-only trains in the UK, but warns total electrification of track is not the answer

The UK is aiming to phase out diesel-only trains by 2040 under a new pledge announced yesterday by Rail Minister Jo Johnson. But the minister stopped short of promising a wholesale electrification...

To continue reading this article...

Join BusinessGreen

In just a few clicks you can start your free BusinessGreen Lite membership for 12 months, providing you access to:

  • Three complimentary articles per month covering the latest real-time news, analysis, and opinion from Europe’s leading source of information on the Green economy and business
  • Receive important and breaking news stories via our daily news alert
  • Our weekly newsletter with the best of the week’s green business news and analysis

Join now

 

Already a BusinessGreen member?

Login

Madeleine Cuff
Author spotlight

Madeleine Cuff

View profile
More from Madeleine Cuff

From SEMTA to Enginuity: Engineering skills body rebrands

Inside Enginuity's plan to build a workforce for the future

More on Rail

'Real opportunity': Study explores potential to boost low carbon European holidays
Rail

'Real opportunity': Study explores potential to boost low carbon European holidays

Researchers publish toolkit highlighting how eco-friendly train travel across Europe could be made cheaper, easier, and more desirable

Amber Rolt
clock 07 October 2026 • 4 min read
UK's first major battery-electric train fleet to run across Pennines in 'landmark' £1bn deal
Rail

UK's first major battery-electric train fleet to run across Pennines in 'landmark' £1bn deal

Plans unveiled for £1bn investment to build new fleet of 29 battery-electric trains at Alstom's Derby facility, enabling smoother, quieter, faster, and greener travel across the Pennines

Michael Holder
Michael Holder
clock 11 September 2026 • 3 min read
Government sets new target for rail to carry 40 per cent of UK freight by 2040
Rail

Government sets new target for rail to carry 40 per cent of UK freight by 2040

Great British Railways to oversee delivery of new rail freight growth goal, which government estimates could avoid one million tonnes of CO2 emissions from road transport

Michael Holder
Michael Holder
clock 08 September 2026 • 3 min read