Boris Johnson’s private jet flight from Cornwall last month is likely to have produced nearly 1,000kg more carbon emissions per passenger than if he had taken the train.
The Prime Minister opted to fly home from a trip that included a weekend on the beach with his family, as well as attending the Royal Cornwall Show and meeting with farmers ahead of the 23 June Tiverton and Honiton by-election.
The ministerial jet was sent from London to the Royal Naval Air Station Culdrose, near Helston, on 13 June, the Sunday Mirror first reported. Mr Johnson flew back to the capital that evening.
Had he taken the train, the approximately 300-mile journey from Truro to London Paddington would have emitted 10.6 kg per passenger, according to the Campaign for Better Transport, an organisation that strives for all communities to have access to high quality, sustainable transportation.
While flying from Newquay, Cornwall, to London on a commercial flight emits approximately 78.7 kg per passenger, private jets emit significantly more carbon. Research by EU NGO Transport and Environment (T&E) found that private jets are 50 times more polluting than trains.
Given that Mr Johnson’s ministerial jet had to be sent from London to Cornwall to pick him up, the Prime Minister’s carbon footprint from the trip is around 1,000kg higher than it might have been.
Flying from Newquay to London takes around 80 minutes, while the train journey from Penzance to London is nearly six hours.
A No 10 spokesperson said: “All travel decisions are made with consideration for security and time restraints. The Prime Minister is accompanied on government business by a delegation of staff, which is taken into consideration as part of ensuring taxpayer value for money.
“This was the sole reason for the plane being used to transport the Prime Minister and his delegation back from this particular visit, which was to mark the launch of the food strategy.”
The spokesperson added that flying meant that Mr Johnson was able to complete a full diary of engagements that day, and that all carbon emissions from his flights were offset.
Boris Johnson has been acccused of inappropriate use of the ministerial jet in the past, most recently when he flew home from the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow on 3 November to attend a dinner at a private London club. That trip is likely to have produced at least 980kg more carbon emissions per passenger than if he had taken the train.
A government spokesperson told the…
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