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Rail travel is far more carbon efficient than previously thought, according to a rail industry group that has commissioned a new tool for calculating emissions.
The Rail Delivery Group (RDG), the association of train companies and National Rail that works to coordinate Britain’s railways, commissioned the development of the tool so that they could measure their carbon footprint properly.
The calculator, developed by Thrust Carbon, a sustainability intelligence platform, uses seven sets of data – including engine and fuel type, occupancy and carriage layout, and exact journey distance – to more accurately measure the footprint.
“The more granular you can get with the data, the better decisions can be made,” says Kit Brennan, founder and head of product at Thrust Carbon, who led the project.
Previously the calculation had been based on the UK government’s annual “greenhouse gas conversion factors for company reporting” data which involves one simple calculation – total energy consumed by the national rail network divided by total reported number of passenger kilometres travelled.
On the electrified rail route from London King’s Cross to Edinburgh Waverley station, figures showed emissions per passenger were 24kg/CO2e, where CO2e is a measurement used to show the total greenhouse gases emitted as an equivalent of carbon dioxide.
The first result from RDG’s new carbon calculator confirms this figure is actually 12.5kg/CO2e – approximately half the previous estimation, and 10 times less carbon than car travel or 13 times less than the equivalent flight.
The new calculations are part of the rail industry’s green travel pledge that aims to make travel sustainability information clearer so that travellers can make informed choices between transport options such as plane and car. This calculator will also enable businesses to measure their carbon emissions from rail travel more effectively.
“We want to empower businesses to make greener travel choices,” said Jacqueline Starr, RDG’s chief executive, who plans to make detailed carbon calculations for rail routes across Britain available by the end of the year.
Fuel use is a major factor, but there are also operational efficiencies to consider, Brennan said: “So, if a train runs but is completely empty, and you’re breaking down your emissions on a specific train then perhaps ticket prices should be lower to encourage more people to take those trains.”
He hopes that greater transparency with carbon emissions may add an element of healthy competition between rail operators that use the same train line: “That’s good because it encourages rail operators to invest in their trains, to have newer, more energy-efficient trains, and to lobby government to electrify more of the lines for the same reasons.”
Latest statistics from the Office of Rail and Road show that in 2021-2022, just 2km of track were electrified in Great Britain. “Basically HM Treasury has pulled the plug on electrification,” said Richard Hebditch, UK director at Transport & Environment, an organisation that campaigns for cleaner transport across Europe. “This new research from Thrust Carbon shows how electrified routes are clearly miles better for carbon savings, so it should be common sense for the government to have a rolling programme to electrify the rail network.”
“It’s basically stupid to have so many diesel-only routes, and older, polluting trains travelling around the system,” said Hebditch, who described the contrast between the old and new data as “dramatic”. He explains that the new calculator will not only show the variation of CO2 emissions between different rail routes but it will be possible to get a more accurate comparison between aviation and rail as well.
“This should be a catalyst for better understanding what’s on the railway and for showing that train travel is really good for minimal CO2,” said Hebditch. “This shows the clear case of the environmental advantages of supporting it. Hopefully, more [trains] will start to be electrified, routes can be decarbonised and we might see newer trains with regenerative breaking that put energy back into the system.”
Clive Wratten, chief executive at the Business Travel Association, said: “We’ve heard loud and clear from our members and the business travel community that consistency in carbon measurement is an imperative. This initiative from RDG on behalf of the whole rail industry has the potential to provide clarity and a robust green message to all parts of business travel.”
Once rail carbon information is displayed at point of sale, booking sustainable travel will be easier, especially when comparisons between rail journeys and flights are listed, Brennan said. “All our tools are about making sustainability effortless,” he added.
Plane or train?
A trip from Edinburgh to London on, say Monday 3 July, by train would start at £59, according to Trainline. It would take upwards of four hours and 40 minutes, and according to Thrust Carbon, would emit about 12.5kg of CO2 per passenger
A plane ticket from Edinburgh to London Gatwick on the same day would start at £65 (easyJet via Opodo) and take 1.15 hours (although that doesn’t include waiting times after check-in). And it would emit about 131kg of CO2.
Read more:
Carbon emissions from UK rail travel lower than previously thought

Shopping centres are so much more than a place to purchase a new outfit or a loved one’s birthday gift. In recent years, they’ve become an exciting social hub that serves in strengthening communities and shaping urban areas.
Online shopping continues to grow even post-pandemic, meaning it’s never been more important that these complexes continue to differentiate themselves from online retailers, cementing their place in society.
Across the UK, there are around 528 shopping centres that need to stay relevant in the digital age.
What makes shopping centres so opportunistic for brands and communities is the varied footfall. From the solo shopper to the young family looking for fun; the teenagers hanging out to the millennials running errands.
Jade Wilkie, marketing manager of Glasgow-based The Forge Shopping Centre, explores how shopping centres play a crucial role in helping communities thrive.
Events
In many UK cities and towns, events are held throughout shopping centres. The type of events can vary significantly, but most exist with the aim of educating or entertaining an audience.
These occasions give locals the chance to meet new people and have fun from one convenient spot, offering a well-deserved break from shopping or running errands, or just something to do on a Saturday afternoon.
As the cost-of-living crisis deepens, more people are seeking local, budget-friendly activities that don’t compromise on fun or facts.
Many events in shopping centres are either free to attend or significantly cheaper than if they were held in an independent venue.
While they may not make a large profit from these events, shopping centres can still benefit from gaining consumer data, increasing centre awareness, social media exposure, and strengthened loyalty from customers.
Employment opportunities
The existence of a shopping centre in a town or city means consistent, significant employment opportunities for the local community. And there’s quite a few shopping centres per area!
Let’s take the UK’s biggest shopping centre as just one example. Westfield London spans across 150,000m² (1.615m ft²), which is the same as around 30 football pitches. Inside the precinct is a whopping 255 stores, all of which need local staff to run.
Additionally, there are further employment opportunities beyond retail. Successful shopping centres need security staff, facilities managers, marketing teams, cleaners, and more.
These job opportunities can serve communities in an obvious sense, by providing employment so people can afford housing, food, and utilities, but also by allowing them to explore different career paths. This is especially important for the younger generation.
Jade said: “Everyone in Glasgow will already know just how much community matters to us here at The Forge. We’re always going out of our way to support local people, local businesses, and local charities, understanding that times are incredibly difficult right now and additional opportunities are needed.
“Shopping centres have a responsibility to support their neighbourhood in any way that they can, whether that be through employment or events, and this duty can’t be shied away from.”
Leisure and hospitality
Most centres now have offerings beyond stores and events. Most likely, you’ll find an exciting hub of bars and restaurants among all the shops, or at least a few fast-food options.
This underpins a shopping centre’s place in society as it offers something online retailers can’t…
An opportunity to catch up with family or friends over a bite to eat, or a way to refuel in the middle of a busy shopping spree.
In terms of leisure, the bigger the shopping centre, the more varied the offerings. Predominantly you’ll find a cinema attached to one of these complexes, but in some cases, consumers can even be offered bowling lanes, arcades, and mini golf courses.
These options provide families and teenagers with means of entertainment beyond games consoles and social media apps. As we’re often warned, excessive use of technology can be disruptive to relationships and prevent the development of vital relationship skills and communication skills.
Communities need varied, cost-effective, and more importantly, physical options when it comes to arranging social gatherings and family days out. Shopping centres offer exactly that, which strengthens their place in cities and urban areas.
Economy
Shopping centres play a crucial role in supporting the local economy, and not just through the employment opportunities discussed above.
With each complex, significant value is generated from the construction supply chain through direct impacts, indirect impacts, and induced impacts. This means that before a shopping centre has even opened its doors, it has contributed to the economy.
The existence of shopping centres creates local income tax contributions, cost savings to the government, inward investment, and additional growth.
Put simply, a strong economy means a better standard of living, which is why it’s in every community’s best interest to ensure their own is as sturdy as possible.
Shopping centres can’t do it alone
While shopping centres do indeed play such a crucial role in our communities, they can’t uphold their responsibilities without us, the consumers.
These precincts rely on people visiting the centres, buying from shops, and engaging with activities and events. Without this support, they can’t keep assisting the community in all the incredible ways that they’re doing right now.
You should consider this thought the next time you visit a website to make purchase or need to plan the next fun day out with family or friends.
Shopping centres play a critical part in maintaining a healthy, happy community, especially in urban areas. Let’s help them help us.
Read more:
The Role of Shopping Centres in Creating Communities and Shaping Urban Areas

UK commercial vehicle (CV) manufacturing grew 36.9% in May as 10,813 new vans, buses, trucks, coaches and taxis left British factories, according to new figures published today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
The sector’s performance was the strongest in May since 2008, surpassing its 10-year high for the month last year, and marking the second consecutive month of rising output.1
Growth was driven by production for export last month, with a significant 48.1% rise in the number of CVs shipped overseas, at 7,943 units. More than seven in 10 (73.5%) British-built CVs left UK shores – 93.6% of which were exported to markets in the EU. More vehicles were also built for UK operators, meanwhile, with volumes up 13.1% to 2,870 units.
Manufacturers have made 46,927 units so far in 2023, up 14.3% on the same period last year, and a significant 47.6% above that in 2019.2 Positively, Britain’s CV production volumes are due to increase further this year, reflecting less turbulent global supply chains and the launch of a new electric van manufacturing plant.
Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said, “With ongoing growth in demand for British commercial vehicles, particularly from overseas markets, the sector is bucking challenging economic trends. This is good news and puts the UK’s CV producers in a strong position to deliver green growth for the economy and society. We can’t be complacent, however, and must ensure the UK remains a globally competitive location for advanced manufacturing – with measures still needed to tackle our high cost of energy and to guarantee that the UK has smooth and sustainable trading relationships around the world, especially with the EU.”
Read more:
Commercial vehicle output records best May since 2008

The US company behind ChatGPT has said its first international office will be based in London.
OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman said the move was an “opportunity to attract world-class talent”.
It comes after he criticised the EU’s proposed legislation regulating artificial intelligence (AI), which would require companies to reveal the content used to train their systems.
The UK meanwhile is planning what it calls “pro-innovation” regulation.
“We are thrilled to extend our research and development footprint into London, a city globally renowned for its rich culture and exceptional talent pool,” said Diane Yoon, OpenAI VP of People.”We are eager to build dynamic teams in research [and] engineering… to reinforce our efforts in creating and promoting safe AI.”
When ChatGPT burst onto the scene last November, the chatbot’s ability to give human-sounding answers to questions kickstarted intense global interest in the latest AI-powered products.
It also sparked a debate about what threats AI potentially poses – and what regulation is needed to mitigate those risks.
At an event at University College London in May, Mr Altman said he believed AI could create jobs and reduce inequality.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said at the event that AI could “positively transform humanity” and “deliver better outcomes for the British public, with emerging opportunities in a range of areas to improve public services”.
ChatGPT has proven controversial, being briefly banned in Italy before it was restored in April 2023.
The UK government said it has invested £2.5bn in AI since 2014.
Speaking about the news, Chloe Smith, the Science, Innovation and Technology Secretary, said: “OpenAI’s decision to expand into London as their first international office is another vote of confidence for Britain as an AI powerhouse and, in OpenAI’s own words, for our vibrant technology ecosystem and exceptional talent.
“Our AI sector already employs more than 50,000 people across the country, and we will continue to foster an approach which unlocks opportunity and cements our place as a global destination for artificial intelligence.”
Read more:
ChatGPT owner OpenAI to open first foreign office in UK

New research has revealed that two million UK small and medium-sized businesses have started on the road to making their business fit for net zero.
Over a quarter of SMEs have ‘green intentions’ and are currently assessing their sustainability goals. Meanwhile, one in 10 SMEs  could be described as ‘greening’, being further along in the journey to transition.
Time, investment and understanding stand in the way of greening the UK economy
Despite the fact that many SMEs are beginning to explore their role in the nation’s transformation, it is not always easy for them to find the time and money to ensure the country meets its ambitious goals. On average, SMEs spend about 15 hours a year considering their approach to sustainability. While one quarter of SME decision-makers see sustainability as a key priority for the next 12 months, it is one of the least prioritised areas for investment.
The Index has also raised concerns that not all SMEs are aware of the necessary details to make change. A significant number of leaders did not fully understand certain concepts such as carbon offset, net zero and carbon neutral.
SMEs want lawmakers and large businesses to take the lead
Nearly two-thirds of SMEs looking to ‘go green’, agree that small businesses play a significant role in how the UK tackles climate change, but even more feel that strong government legislation needs to be in place to support this.
Seven out of 10 SME decision-makers think large businesses need to tackle the issue first.
Fears for the financial sustainability of going green
One in four SMEs believe that sustainable choices can also lead to better business decisions.
However, a similar number fear that implementing a sustainability strategy could pose difficulties for their business, impacting profits and operations. This is particularly true of businesses that are in sectors that will mostly need to reform to meet new green standards, such as manufacturing and agriculture.
However, SME leaders are still keen to ‘go green’. One in five small businesses are willing to accept a lower profit margin to run their business in a more sustainable way.
Tim Boag, group managing director of business finance at Aldermore comments: “SMEs represent 99% of all private sector businesses in the UK2, so they will be absolutely pivotal in our transition to net zero. However, our Green Index shows that despite the best intentions of SME leaders there are significant barriers to making the leap. SMEs are asking for regulations and guidelines so they can make prudent investments and carry out improvements that will actually make a difference.
“For businesses that do embrace change, there can be commercial opportunities. We’ve seen many of our customers pivot or diversify into exciting new areas which meet the growing demand for greener solutions. A recent example is where Aldermore provided a loan to a waste recycling company for a Gas Energy Recovery Incinerator, which recovers and reuses incineration gas.”
Read more:
Just 40% of UK SMEs have started on their transition to being a sustainable business

The West Midlands has cemented its reputation as a global investment hotspot, emerging as the UK’s top regional location for attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) outside London.
The region has recorded the highest annual growth rate of all UK locations.
According to official data from the Department for Business and Trade (DBT), 181 FDI projects landed in the region during the 2022/23 financial year – more projects than Scotland and Wales combined and overtaking the South East for the first time. This represents over 10% of the UK’s total FDI wins (1,654) – the largest share of all UK regions outside the capital. With 8,252 jobs created by overseas investors during the same period – a 48% increase compared to 2021/2022 – the West Midlands also bucked the national trend of a decline in FDI-related jobs.
The last financial year also saw the West Midlands Growth Company (WMGC) – the region’s official investment promotion agency – achieving a record-high performance, with recorded projects representing an unprecedented 171% increase on last year.
The Business and Tourism Programme (BATP), the first programme of its kind established to boost the economic impact of the Commonwealth Games, has played a key role in boosting the region’s inward investment performance.
Over the last year, BATP-led trade and investment missions to India; Australia, Malaysia and Singapore and the US have enabled the region to strengthen existing trade ties and reach into new markets to increase its inward investment pipeline. In particular, over the last twelve months, India has overtaken the US to become the West Midlands’ leading source of FDI, with tech-led investments into the region representing a prominent trend.
One third of WMGC’s portfolio of inward investment projects in 2022/23 were secured as a direct result of the Global Growth Programme – a support package – led by WMGC – to help international companies kickstart their growth journey in the UK. These include international payments solutions provider, Fincra; Singapore-based RegTech company, Primacy; India-based EdTech company, Mind & Matter; India’s first plastic credit platform, The Disposal Company, and Canada-based pan-African fintech company, Kora.
Matt Hammond, Chair of the West Midlands Growth Company (WMGC), said: “Despite the wave of shocks that have faced the global economy over the last year, these latest FDI figures are a reminder that investment appetite in the West Midlands remains extremely strong. It shows the mileage and impact of the West Midlands on the world stage when the right interventions – such as the Business and Tourism Programme – are in place.
“The West Midlands’ impressive figures buck the national trend of declining jobs and outstrip all of the UK when it comes to FDI job growth – including London. They are a demonstration of WMGC’s award-winning investment strategy in practice, as we continue to strengthen ties with key markets to the benefit of local people”.
As part of the £1.5 billion Deeper Devolution Deal, WMGC will co-develop a bespoke West Midlands international strategy in conjunction with DBT. This will help us to supercharge the legacy of the Games by opening up new overseas markets for West Midlands products and bring millions of pounds worth of foreign direct investment into the region.
Andy Street, Mayor of the West Midlands, said: “We all know just how important inward investment is to the success of the West Midlands economy, and so it really is brilliant news that this latest data shows how we are the strongest performing region.
“Not only does this mean that our industrial heritage, entrepreneurial culture, world-class universities and a broad and deep talent pool is setting the West Midlands apart in the eyes of overseas investors, but it also means thousands of quality jobs are being created right here for local people.
“There could not be a greater vote of confidence in the region than investors putting their money on the table in the way they have this past year, but it is critical now that we keep up this momentum and continue to build on the global platform that the Commonwealth Games gave us.”
The strength of the West Midlands’ FDI strategy was recently recognised at fDi Intelligence European Cities and Regions of the Future 2023, where Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Coventry & Warwickshire all secured top-three rankings. The rankings benchmark European cities and regions according to their economic, financial, and business strengths.
Read more:
West Midlands tops regional rankings for foreign investment and sees highest growth in the UK 

Apple has criticised powers in the Online Safety Bill that could be used to force encrypted messaging tools like iMessage, WhatsApp and Signal to scan messages for child abuse material.
Its intervention comes as 80 organisations and tech experts have written to Technology Minister Chloe Smith urging a rethink on the powers.
Apple has said that the bill should be amended to protect encryption.
The government says companies must prevent child abuse on their platforms.
End-to-end encryption (E2EE) stops anyone but the sender and recipient reading the message.
Police, the government and some high-profile child protection charities maintain the tech – used in apps such as WhatsApp and Apple’s iMessage – prevents law enforcement and the firms themselves from identifying the sharing of child sexual abuse material.
But in a statement Apple said: “End-to-end encryption is a critical capability that protects the privacy of journalists, human rights activists, and diplomats.
“It also helps everyday citizens defend themselves from surveillance, identity theft, fraud, and data breaches. The Online Safety Bill poses a serious threat to this protection, and could put UK citizens at greater risk.
“Apple urges the government to amend the bill to protect strong end-to-end encryption for the benefit of all.”
But the government has said that “companies should only implement end-to-end encryption if they can simultaneously prevent abhorrent child sexual abuse on their platforms.
“We will continue to work with them to seek solutions to combat the spread of child sexual abuse material while maintaining user privacy.”
The Online Safety Bill, currently going through Parliament, contains powers that could enable communications regulator Ofcom to direct platforms to use accredited technology to scan the contents of messages.
The government said these powers would only be used as “a last resort, and only when stringent privacy safeguards have been met”.
Recently Home Office ministers have also been highly critical of Facebook’s roll-out of the tech for messaging.
Several messaging platforms, including Signal and WhatsApp, have previously told media they will refuse to weaken the privacy of their encrypted messaging systems if directed to do so.
Signal said in February that it would “walk” from the UK if forced to weaken the privacy of its encrypted messaging app.
Apple’s statement now means that some of the most widely used encrypted apps oppose this part of the bill.
The government argues it is possible to provide technological solutions that mean the contents of encrypted messages can be scanned for child abuse material.
The only way of doing that, many tech experts argue, would be to install software that would scan messages on the phone or computer before they are sent, called client-side scanning.
This, critics say, would fundamentally undermine the privacy of messages.
In 2021 Apple announced plans to scan photographs on people’s iPhones for abusive content before they were uploaded to iCloud but these were abandoned after a backlash. It has now clearly signalled its opposition to any measure that weakens the privacy of end-to-end encryption.
‘Routine scanning’
Its announcement comes as the digital civil liberties campaigners The Open Rights Group sent an open letter to minister Chloe Smith.
The letter, signed by more than 80 national and international civil society organisations, academics and cyber-experts, says: “The UK could become the first liberal democracy to require the routine scanning of people’s private chat messages, including chats that are secured by end-to-end encryption.
“As over 40 million UK citizens and 2 billion people worldwide rely on these services, this poses a significant risk to the security of digital communication services not only in the UK, but also internationally.”
Element, a British tech company whose products using E2EE are used by government and military clients, has previously told the BBC measures in the bill that are seen to weaken the privacy of encrypted messages would make customers less trustful of security products produced by UK firms.
There is a growing expectation, the BBC has learned, that changes may be made to part of the bill which critics say could be used to mandate scanning. These could be included in a package of amendments to be revealed in the coming days.
But it is not clear what the detail of those changes might be, or if they will satisfy the concerns of campaigners.
Read more:
Apple joins opposition to Online Safety Bill and message app scanning

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Chancellor Jeremy Hunt should cut companies’ national insurance contributions and make the temporary business investment tax relief permanent, an influential think tank has argued in a radical blueprint to overhaul the UK’s tax regime.
Employers’ should be subjected to a 12.8 per cent national insurance levy, one percentage point lower than the present rate, according to a report out today from the Resolution Foundation.
Reducing reliance on generating tax revenues from earnings would stimulate employment and help the UK reverse its more than decade-long stagnant economic growth, the think tank has claimed.
Making the current 100 per cent investment tax relief permanent would incentivise businesses to ramp up capital spending and create more opportunities for GDP growth to flourish, the report argues.
Britain’s tax burden – tax revenues as a share of output – is on track to hit 38 per cent in five years, its highest levels since just after the second world war, up from an average of 33 per cent over the past two decades or so.
That will amount to a near £4,200 tax increase per household.
As a result, policymakers need to focus on delivering a more effective tax regime to justify the Treasury grabbing a greater share of voters’ incomes.
“This rising quantity of tax revenue has not been matched by a rising quality of tax policy,” Adam Corlett, principal economist at the Resolution Foundation, said.
“Britain’s tax system needs a complete overhaul so that it is focused on helping rather than hindering economic growth, reducing inequality and creating a level playing field,” he added.
Politicians must stop chopping and changing tax policy or risk choking business growth, innovation and employment, the report said.
Last year, former PM Liz Truss launched the biggest tax cutting budget since 1972, only for nearly all her measures to be ditched by now Chancellor Jeremy Hunt a month or so later after the package wobbled financial markets.
In 2021, Boris Johnson and Sunak raised national insurance rates 1.25 percentage points. The move was canned by Truss upon entry to Number 10.
“U-turns and fiscal fudging have been too common, and reform side-lined too often,” the Resolution Foundation said, adding that MPs have decided to “pretend a major tax-cutting era is just around the corner” instead of focusing on “improving the economic efficiency, equity and predictability of the tax system”.
Read more:
Rishi Sunak should cut national insurance and make investment relief permanent, think tank report argues

Fresh calls have been made to reinstate VAT-free shopping for international tourists, after the chief of Mulberry warned its profits have been hit hard by it as they ditch London for Paris and Milan.
Pre-tax profit at the British handbag maker fell to £13.2m in the year to April, down from £21.3m the prior year.
Thierry Andretta, boss of the luxury fashion brand, has been vocal in recent years about the damage the removal of the offer has had on the sector, telling the Evening Standard, on today he had “no doubt” that the abolition impacted its profits.
“There is no doubt that the lack of VAT-free shopping has impacted our UK performance, and we, along with other British brands, are suffering the consequences of this,” the chief said.

Rishi Sunak scrapped the tax which saw international shoppers to claim 20 per cent back with their purchases – it was largely popular with wealthy tourists who would travel to London to splurge on designer goods.
As international tourism picks up post Covid-19, concerns are growing that the removal of the scheme will send international travellers to choose elsewhere when planning a foreign shopping trip.
Dee Corsi, chief executive at the New West End said that the “tourist tax” is a drag on the economy, “undermining the home advantage of great British brands”.
“Data from VisitBritain shows nearly half of long-haul travellers see shopping as one of their priorities. The West End and its retailers have been recovering strongly since the pandemic, but until this misguided tax is removed we’ll be letting opportunity slip through our fingers.”
Members of the House of Lords also warned last month that International tourists are spending more in Europe than in the UK. 
“US tourists who are going to France, Spain and Italy are spending at the rate of three times what they did in 2019… our retailers are really struggling and they need and they deserve a level playing field,” Baroness Elizabeth Doocey said at the time.

Read more:
Mulberry chief calls for ‘tourist tax’ to be scrapped as London brands “suffering” as shoppers go elsewhere