Today, Friday 23 June 2023, Norman Baker will make an epic coast-to-coast rail journey from Newhaven on the south coast of England to Thurso on the north coast of Scotland, a journey of around 600 miles.
Norman Baker, Director of External Affairs at Campaign for Better Transport and a former Transport Minister, said: “I’m really looking forward to my trip, which is certainly not something I’d say about a 600-mile drive in a car, or slogging to the airport to travel on a cramped plane. On the train I know I can relax, enjoy the scenery, read a book or get some work done – a lot of work, in this case.
“I also know I’ll be emitting far less carbon than if I went by air or road. I love train travel and I’m confident the railways will take me 600 miles reliably and in comfort.”
Setting off at 06:01 from Newhaven Harbour, Norman will travel via Lewes, London, Edinburgh and Inverness, arriving at Thurso – the northernmost town on the island of Great Britain – at 22:20. Campaign for Better Transport will be live-tweeting Norman’s journey from the Twitter account @CBTransport.
Travelling by car from Newhaven to Thurso emits almost five times as much carbon as travelling by train.
Travelling by plane from London to Inverness (i.e. the long middle section of Norman’s journey) emits almost seven times as much carbon as travelling by train.
Norman added: “For clean, green travel with minimal impact on the environment, rail is the way forward.”
Photo credit: Campaign for Better Transport
