TN2322 Iss 1

This technical note aims to inform the industry about potential solutions for improving air quality in the passenger cabin environment, referred to in this document as ‘onboard trains,’ for both existing and new rail vehicles.

The Department for Transport (DfT) published the Rail Environment Policy Statement (REPS) in July 2021, with the purpose of setting a clear direction for the rail industry on environmental sustainability. The REPS states that one of the aims is to “significantly reduce people's exposure to air pollution caused by the railway, ensuring that rail remains one of the cleanest forms of transport.”

This document helps identify several ways of achieving this strategy on reducing emissions and increasing the air quality within passenger rolling stock environments. 
This initiative seeks to minimize passengers’ exposure to pollutants inside the vehicle, thereby lessening the negative health effects on passengers.

It is applicable to: 

• Rolling stock owners and leasing companies (ROSCOs); 
• Railway undertakings (RUs);
• Entities in charge of maintenance (ECMs);
• Vehicle manufacturers;
• Infrastructure managers (IMs);
• Project entities; and 
• Approvals bodies.