Investing in Rail

The UK government has chosen today to announce investment in the rail network. The media have portrayed this as a tactic to divert attention from the delay in publishing the government’s aviation policy. It clearly is, but this makes both political and logical sense.

The prevarication over aviation policy looks bad as it appears to be dithering. However there are good reasons to take care because decisions taken now could have far-reaching consequences. It will be difficult, politically, to do the right thing. If the government has the courage to set aviation policy on the road to greener aviation, there will be a number of unhappy stakeholders, including the airlines and people who regularly take cheap flights, worried at the short-term consequences. This is a prime example where for a government to put the logic of sustainability to underpin policy requires facing down opposition. No wonder the politicians hesitate.

Announcing additional investment in rail is good tactics, not because it deflects attention from aviation policy, but because this is a logical consequence of analysing the future for aviation in a world that starts to deal effectively with holding carbon dioxide emissions in check. A high capacity, fast, electric rail network can be a viable alternative to short-haul flying. The problem is the need for substantial investment, and time, to deliver the require infrastructure. It is correct that the government push ahead with rail, without delay.

The future for transportation, currently served by aviation, includes expansion and upgrade to the rail network. The government gets full marks for today’s announcement. It remains to be seen whether it scores full marks when it finally announces policy specific to aviation.