Rail businesses urge development of a UK-wide hydrogen strategy

A Government commitment to ordering alternatively powered trains is needed, according to the Railway Industry Association (RIA).

The call comes as a group of 41 businesses, including Alstom and Siemens, wrote to Chancellor of the Exchequer

Rishi Sunak calling for the establishment of a UK-wide hydrogen strategy.

In its response to an All

Party Parliamentary Group on Hydrogen inquiry, RIA said this could spearhead an environmentally friendly economic recovery following COVID-19.

“Alongside a rolling programme of electrification for intensively used routes, hydrogen and battery technology can help decarbonise branch lines across the network, reducing the use of diesel trains,” said RIA Technical Director David Clarke.

“The technology already exists, but what is now needed is a commitment to a fleet order. Not only will this help achieve the UK’s decarbonisation goals, it will stimulate a new market in the rail industry, generating jobs and investment across the country and creating a competitive advantage for UK plc as it looks to increase exports.”

In the letter to Sunak, the business group claim a global hydrogen economy would be worth $2.5 trillion (£2 trillion) by 2050, supporting 30 million jobs. The group claims it is ready to invest £1.5 billion in hydrogen projects across many sectors in the UK.

In recent years there has been a trial with a battery-powered Class 43 power car and a battery-powered Class 379, while Porterbrook converted a Class 319 to hydrogen power. Hydrogen train trials are planned for the Tees Valley and BartonCleethorpes routes.