FOI request detail

Carbon Emissions Per £ Spent

Request ID: FOI-2030-2223
Date published: 08 December 2022

You asked

Hello, I was wondering if you could provide estimated carbon emissions per pound spent for different transport modes. Or is there somewhere to find the total annual emissions per mode which can then be divided per pound of revenue. I am looking for both 2020/21 and 2021/22 please. Thank you.

We answered


TfL Ref: 2030-2223

Thank you for your request received by Transport for London (TfL) on 16 November 2022 asking for information about carbon emissions for different transport modes and revenue spend.

Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Information Regulations and our information access policy.  I can confirm that we hold some of the information you require. You asked for:

estimated carbon emissions per pound spent for different transport modes.

Or is there somewhere to find the total annual emissions per mode which can then be divided per pound of revenue. I am looking for both 2020/21 and 2021/22 please.

We hold data on the carbon emissions of the majority of the services TfL directly operates, and reports on these per passenger km in our annual Health Safety and Environment report, which are available on our website at: https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/health-safety-and-environment

We also have data on car and taxi CO2 emissions in London as part of the London Atmospheric Emissions Inventory:
https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/london-atmospheric-emissions-inventory-2013

Please note that these values are average and indicative values only and provide a high level comparison between modes. The carbon emissions associated with individual road journeys will depend on a number of factors such as vehicle model, level of traffic, average speed, etc. Emissions related to rail services will also vary depending on the exact journey being made, and factors such as train loading.

Our Annual Report and Statement of Accounts provide gross income from Transport for London’s services in the Narrative Report and Financial Review. Please see page 84 in the 2021/2022 edition of this report here: https://content.tfl.gov.uk/tfl-annual-report-and-statement-of-accounts-2021-22.pdf Details on how we are cleaning the air are described on page 27 onwards

The 2020/21 edition of the Annual Report and Statement of Accounts features the gross income received from Transport for London’s services on page 87 via the following link: https://content.tfl.gov.uk/tfl-annual-report-2020-21.pdf. Information on how we are improving air quality in the capital can also be viewed on page 40 onwards.

Further information about passenger income, as well as air quality schemes being delivered by TfL can be found in our published budgets and Business Plans here: https://tfl.gov.uk/corporate/publications-and-reports/business-plan.

If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for any reason, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal as well as information on copyright and what to do if you would like to re-use any of the information we have disclosed.

Yours sincerely


Jasmine Howard
FOI Case Officer
FOI Case Management Team
General Counsel
Transport for London

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