As today is World Car Free Day (22 September), the railway industry has launched their “We Mean Green” campaign for people to use greener trains instead of cars.
The campaign highlights how a single train removes up to 500 cars off our roads and taking the train cuts carbon emissions by two thirds.
But it is National Rail’s new green logo to coincide with this launch that has got people talking.
Instead of the famous red and white British Rail logo we are all familiar with, the temporary revamp includes the same logo outline while the arrows and lines are filled in with four different shades of green.
Despite the environmentally friendly message behind the temporary design change, many people aren’t impressed, including Gerry Barney, the designer of the original logo who was horrified when he saw the new logo for the first time, The Guardian reported.
“I think that’s rubbish,” he told the publication. “I could understand it if they had just swapped red for green. But why on earth have they got that many colours? It’s a load of old bollocks. It’s just a mess.”
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The 82-year-old designed the logo back in 1964 when he was a lettering artist.
Barney was asked by the Rail Delivery Group (RDG) to endorse the new green version but refused to (not surprising given his critical comments).
“I don’t know if it can be updated, it’s so simple,” he said. “They should just leave it well alone – if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”
It seems many people agree with Barney’s sentiments and took to Twitter to diss the updated logo.
“And the winner of British Rail logo competition..is Oliver aged 4 ½..” pic.twitter.com/wypITs5u8x
— J.R.Hartley’s Armchair. (@JRsArmchair) September 22, 2021
the british rail logo designer has a point, there I said it
— Tom Taylor (@tomtay10r) September 22, 2021
too many greens spoil the broth pic.twitter.com/Cc3dewYLTU
British Rail: “we need to add green to our logo to show we’re environmentally friendly”
— Jack (@Jack_Turner2) September 22, 2021
Designer: “got it, which shade of green?”
British Rail: “yes” pic.twitter.com/mQmyyKafrj
New British Rail design looks amazing pic.twitter.com/MNGLnlmuL2
— Shattercones (@Shattercones_) September 22, 2021
1. Open British Rail logo in Paint
— Paul Hutchings (@paulbhutchings) September 22, 2021
2. Select the green column on the palette function & fill each line
3. Buy a big bag to put the money in
A pretty lucrative hour of work from the looks of it pic.twitter.com/jb8CNOeTat
Here for the designers take on changing the British rail logo pic.twitter.com/IFUuP4JRw3
— Samuel Gray (@samsbit) September 22, 2021
While some think that a greener logo will not convince more people to take the more environmentally friendly route and use trains, but rather a reduction in ticket prices might instead.
If British Rail (or Great British Railways) are serious about being green and not just an ugly logo perhaps they need to massively slash fairs. Otherwise it's just hot air. £102 from London to Leicester is ridiculous, it would cost a lot less in a car and that's a problem
— Jon (@jhgr81) September 22, 2021
It looks like british rail has added a new slogan to match its new logo! pic.twitter.com/052H90FN3w
— cynical youth (@redgremlins) September 22, 2021
"Who gives a toss if you don't like it, you can't afford the train anyway!"
— Ian Scamans (@Pickledegg101) September 22, 2021
British Rail's new slogan to go with the new logo. pic.twitter.com/Da73Kc8dQg
An exclusive look at the meeting where the decision to redesign the British Rail logo was made: pic.twitter.com/Becgw4sSo0
— AJ (@HeyItsAJOmega) September 22, 2021
I feel like the best way to truly emphasise the environmental credentials of rail travel is to make it more affordable and thus more widely used and thus more of a viable alternative to polluting car travel for more people...a green logo means nothinghttps://t.co/7jCabmJk4d
— Maheen Behrana (@BehranaMaheen) September 22, 2021
Literally spent £100 on british rail a month but the green logo will definitely tell more people to get the train
— kiera (@slightlyevilfem) September 22, 2021
1. Reducing fares
— Paul A T (@Fingolfin67) September 22, 2021
2. Improving the service
3. Bringing it in to public ownership to achieve this
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109. Colour of the logo
Sorry they messed your design up but it's hardly top of the list of things wrong with 'British Rail'.
Elsewhere, designers shared what they would have done to update the logo.
British rail should of just gone with simply changing it to one shade of Green for the campaign and gone back to red after. Here’s 5 minutes work #BritishRail pic.twitter.com/pemOizG5Mx
— PoshJerry (@JoshTPerry) September 22, 2021
my attempt at fixing the british rail logo pic.twitter.com/y7xeldMlCU
— synthsimp (@CorinGetorix) September 22, 2021
If you are going to change then keep it simple. One colour only for the arrows. pic.twitter.com/f8JVS1Si9p
— Karen (Jelly) Sainsbury 💚 (@jellysainsbury) September 22, 2021
Simple solution to the contemporary greening of the classic British Rail logo #britishrail #designthinking #design pic.twitter.com/a3che7QvKe
— thinkamigo (@thinkamigo) September 22, 2021
Not everyone hated the new logo though.
Gonna be controversial and say I like the green british rail logo, if I see any of yous unfollow for this there will be retribution x
— r a c h e l l e (@xxRachellexxx) September 22, 2021
i like the new british rail logo
— Tom (@tom_hennie) September 22, 2021
But, those concerned with the new green design shouldn’t worry because it is only temporary, as the Rail Delivery Group highlighted in their Twitter thread where they took the logo criticism on the chin with a funny Kermit GIF noting “It’s not easy... bein’ green.”
We feel you, Kermit… pic.twitter.com/PvwQvzqX0m
— Rail Delivery Group (@RailDeliveryGrp) September 22, 2021
They also took the time to explain the environmental benefits of opting to take the train instead of using a car.
🚂 One passenger train takes up to 500 cars off our roads
— Rail Delivery Group (@RailDeliveryGrp) September 22, 2021
✂ Taking the train instead of the car cuts carbon emissions by two thirds
🚂 One freight train stops 76 lorries polluting our air
⬇ Trains reduce UK carbon emissions by up to 7.7 million tonnes a year
According to a report published earlier this month, the Rail Delivery Group estimated that a 20% shift from rail to road would lead to an extra one million tonnes of CO2 emissions and 300 million hours stuck in traffic jams per year.
With only weeks until COP26, the UN climate summit (1 – 12 November 2021) in Glasgow, people will see the iconic British Rail double arrow logo go green through posters displayed at stations, onboard trains and across digital channels.
Andy Bagnall, Director General at the Rail Delivery Group, said: “Train travel is more than a journey. By choosing to travel or transport goods by rail, people and businesses are on track to cut their carbon footprint so that together we achieve the net zero target.
“While rail accounts for 10% of journeys, it is responsible for just 1% of transport emissions. We want to work with government to reform the rail industry including making fares much simpler so that trains are the more attractive option to driving or flying.”
For more information about the We Mean Green campaign, visit the Rail Delivery Group website.
