Plane and train tickets should reveal the environmental impact of individual journeys by stating the carbon emissions released on each trip, the UK's main professional body for engineers said yesterday.

The Institute of Mechanical Engineers said branding tickets according to their green credentials should be one of a series of measures the government should adopt, so that having a large carbon footprint became "as socially unacceptable as drink-driving".

In a report on sustainable transport, the body highlighted trains as one of the most environmentally benign ways to travel and put forward strategies to wean people away from travelling by car or plane, including extra fuel taxes, congestion charges and more aggressive road pricing.

For a 400-mile trip from London to Glasgow, the carbon dioxide emissions per passenger travelling by road are 80.2kg, compared with 133.7kg by air and 46.8kg by rail, the report said.

In Britain, almost a quarter of annual carbon emissions are from transport, 85% of which is from road traffic.

Stating carbon dioxide emissions on tickets would help passengers understand which modes of transport have the least environmental impact. "If we're going to understand the impact of our journey, why doesn't the ticket tell us?" said Cliff Perry, vice-chairman of the institute's railway division.

Virgin Trains said it welcomed initiatives that help raise people's awareness of the environment and their own carbon footprint. The report also urges train networks to make conditions more attractive to passengers.

"Overall, sustainability and transport is a big market failure. If we're to make a difference, carbon footprint will need to become as socially unacceptable as drink driving and smoking in a public place," said Perry. The report, which is due to be discussed with MPs next month, calls for a government-led campaign similar to that used to highlight the dangers and social implications of drink-driving.

One government anti drink-driving campaign led to 72% of drivers deeming it unacceptable to drink and drive, the report said. "The real issue here is mindset, changing people's minds. If 72% of drivers understood that their car journey emissions were unacceptable, what choices would they make?" said Perry.

Michelle di Leo of the air industry group, Flying Matters, said: "In principle, greater transparency over environmental impact is a good thing, but in practical terms, giving quality information on that aspect of travel will be quite difficult, because you need to know which particular type of plane it is, or with railways, where any electricity they are running on is coming from.