Rail freight operators forced to dump electric trains for diesel due to Britain’s energy crisis

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inbox Get our free View from Westminster email Get our free View from Westminster email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Noting that rail freight still emitted over three-quarters less carbon than road haulage even when using diesel locomotives, a spokesperson for the group said: “The current significant increase in the wholesale cost of electricity for haulage means that some operators have had to take the regrettable decision to temporarily move back to diesel locomotives. “Our members are assuring us that this is a temporary measure and will be kept under constant review.” Freightliner, which is one of the ‘big four’ rail freight companies and is among those to have switched back to diesel, described the move as a “difficult decision” and confirmed it had temporarily halted electric services to stay “cost effective”. “As a result of soaring prices on the UK’s wholesale electricity market, the price Network Rail charges us to operate electric train services has increased by more than 210 per cent between September and October,” Freightliner said in a statement. “As a result, Freightliner has taken the difficult decision to temporarily replace electric freight services with diesel-hauled services, in order to maintain a cost-effective option for transporting vital goods and supplies across the UK.” At the weekend, Energy UK chief executive Emma Pinchbeck said the industry was “worried” about some of its commercial customers and that the consequences of rising prices were “unclear”.