Sunak announced a lower rate of air passenger duty for domestic flights and cuts to fuel duty “but offered no reduction for rail ticket prices despite the growing climate crisis”, the TSSA said.
 
TSSA General Secretary Manuel Cortes said: “It will do nothing to decarbonise travel.”

He added: “Domestic air flights cause seven times the carbon impact of rail journeys, and car journeys produce more than four times the greenhouse gas per passenger mile as travelling by rail.

"Yet, with Cop26 just around the corner, the chancellor opted to use his budget to subsidise road and air travel rather than incentivising rail travel.
 
 “We have a budget speech today that actively encourages people to increase their carbon footprint. 
 
“Glasgow hosts Cop26 next week. Britain will have no moral authority to lecture the rest of the world on reducing their carbon footprint unless we start getting serious about making rail travel cheaper and more attractive.

“That means investing in infrastructure, investing in staffing, and cutting ticket prices. Not incentivising air and road travel.”