Personally speaking, it's always price, convenience and comfort that has influenced me when taking the train.

I take the train (Underground) to work because it is convenient for me and not too expensive (works out at about 50p per mile). Comfort doesn't really come into it, but travelling very early in the morning as I do, I usually get a seat.

I don't take the train anywhere else (other than to airports) simply because it costs too much. Recently, enquiring about prices from London to Inverness I was quoted between £173 (with all discounts available) and £600 (turn up and go, not even first class) per person! So for 2 adults, 1 child, at the cheapest rates available, to travel from London to Inverness, it would cost £475. 3 return air fares plus weekend parking is £250. The cost to the environment may be greater, but regretably, if we want to travel to do the things we enjoy, our finances mean we don't really have the option to be greener.

To put freight on rails would be better environmentally, but not financially, and it's finance that drives everything these days. If your box of cornflakes doubled in price overnight, would you be so keen to buy them? Besides - you'd still need haulage companies to take the stuff from the station to the depots and stores. You could probably get away with smaller vehicles, but there'd be more of them doing short, uneconomical journeys. As long as the consumer demands value for money before environmental impact, then freight will go the most economical way.

LTS