Institution's response to Jo Johnson's comments to the Transport Committee

Dr Jenifer Baxter, Head of Engineering at the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, said about Jo Johnson’s comments when he addressed the Commons Transport Committee:

“Jo Johnson states that full electrification our rail network is highly unlikely to be the best value-for-money way of achieving the passenger and the environmental benefits that the Government is seeking to achieve. For this reason Government has cut back this electrification and, wrongly, claims that its benefits can be delivered by bi-mode trains.

“Electrification of the UK’s rail network will bring improved air quality, better energy efficiency of trains, reduced greenhouse gas emissions and enhanced services. It is a tried-and tested-technology; most European countries have rolled out their own programmes.

“Bi-mode trains are designed to operate on both electrified lines and non-electrified lines. Those currently being introduced on Great Western and East Coast routes are able to switch between the electric powered mode and an on board diesel powered engine. However, while flexible, the electric-diesel bi-mode train suffers with increased emissions when operating in diesel mode, has higher fuel, capital and maintenance costs than pure electric trains and are less powerful when working in diesel mode (8.6 kw/tonne) compared with electric mode (11.2 kW/tonne). [i] Bi-mode trains offer a solution to non-electrified lines and reduce the requirement to invest in electrification, but do not provide the required performance or offer the most efficient or environmentally friendly solution.

“As the pollution within our cities continues to cause health problems and climate change becomes increasingly evident across the globe, tackling air quality is now an urgent requirement. In our report A Breath of Fresh Air: New Solutions to Reduce Transport Emissions, we recommended that the Department for Transport instruct Network Rail to develop an appropriate specification for railway electrification, which will achieve an affordable business case for rolling programme to complete the electrification of main lines between Britain’s principal cities and ports, and of urban rail networks through our major city centres.”

Notes to Editors

• For interview requests and queries contact the Institution of Mechanical Engineers’ Press Office on 020 7973 1261 or email media@imeche.org.
• The Institution of Mechanical Engineers was established in 1847 and has some of the world’s greatest engineers in its history books. It is one of the fastest growing professional engineering institutions. Headquartered in London, we have operations around the world and over 120,000 members in more than 140 countries working at the heart of the most important and dynamic industries such as the automotive, rail, aerospace, medical, power and construction industries.

[i] https://www.railengineer.uk/2017/10/24/bi-mode-trains-unlocking-opportunity/