Newcastle-based train operator Lumo has shared data detailing its economic contribution and emissions saved by its all-electric service.
The data, shared across two reports, revealed that the East Coast Main Line operator saved 60.6 kilotons of CO2 last year - the equivalent of taking almost 13,500 petrol-powered cars off the road for a year or powering more than 7,500 homes. The reports also suggest that the company saved eight times as much carbon emissions as it produced, as it attracted passengers from other, more polluting, modes of transport.
Lumo runs 10 trains a day between Newcastle, London and Edinburgh, with stops also at Morpeth and Stevenage. The company, which is owned by transport giant First Group, started operations in 2021 on an open-access basis and using all-electric trains assembled at Hitachi’s plant in County Durham..
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As well as its environmental credentials, a report on Lumo’s economic impact says that it will deliver between £470m and £740m between starting operations and end of its current track agreement in 2033. That money is made up of direct jobs, fare savings, time savings for customers and other benefits.
Martijn Gilbert, managing director of Lumo, said: “What we are seeing from this first-of-its-kind report is just how beneficial rail is to the Ƶ. Since its launch, Lumo has been on a mission to convert customers from carbon-intensive modes of transport, like plane and cars, to train - and this report proves the economic and environmental benefits of doing so.
“We’re dedicated to improving the rail industry through innovative thinking and it is exciting to have this information at hand as we continue mapping out Lumo’s future. We have already begun looking towards the next stages of Lumo, exploring options to expand our services with an extra daily return between Newcastle and London, and we are excited for what the future holds.”
Lumo is bidding to add an extra daily service to London in time for the December 2024 rail timetable. It has carried more than 2.5m passengers since its launch and said it had particularly increased the number of people using the train between Newcastle and Edinburgh.
The company typically offers cheaper fares than other train operators on the East Coast Main Line, with no first class sections on its trains and limitations on baggage.
