Environment
Everyone has a responsibility to leave the planet in as good a shape as is possible for future generations. We are increasingly seeing the effect of climate change on the world around us and it is up to all of us to take action to reduce the impact we have on our environment.
First TransPennine Express is a green company….it’s official!!! We have been officially categorised as a ‘green’ organisation with the award of the international ISO14001 environmental management standard across the whole of our business.
This demonstrates we are committed to environmental management.
Reducing Our Impact
At First TransPennine Express we are taking significant steps to reduce our carbon dioxide emissions and become more fuel efficient. We’re trying to make the best use of our resources and reduce waste.
Eco-Initiative: A Fuel Efficiency Programme
Our award-winning fuel efficiency programme has slashed fuel consumption by 7%, saving over 1.8m litres of fuel and over 4,800 tonnes of carbon each year.
In one year, that’s enough carbon dioxide to fill 28,878 double decker buses!
The programme was developed jointly by First TransPennine Express and Siemens Transportation Systems due to the increasing cost of fuel and a desire to reduce our carbon footprint.
The Eco-Initiative is being delivered through:
- Eco-Mode - eliminating unnecessary engine idling
- Eco-Driving - coasting guidelines for drivers
- Fuel-messaging and Eco-Display - fuel consumption rates sent back to base for analysis and displayed to driver
- Reduced engine running - in depots and on selected routes
It’s an Award-Winning Initiative!
The Eco-Initiative won the 2008 Railway Industry Innovation Award for the Environment.
A Greener Future
We aim to continue reducing our fuel consumption to reach our target of 11% by 2009.
Reduce, Re-use and Recycle
We have reduced the amount of waste we produce, we re-use where able and we now recycle at all our train stations, main offices and newspapers from on-board all our trains.
Reducing Waste
We have moved to an electronic document control system from an entirely paper based one – at least 68,319 sheets of paper will be saved each year!!
That’s just over 8 trees saved a year!!
We have moved to a paper-less procurement system – our tender process and purchase order systems are now web-based.
Re-Using Waste
Where able, the mobile phones and printer cartridges that we send to the First Group charity recycling appeal are re-used. If they can’t be reused – they are recycled. This year the charity benefiting is The Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, in the past Forest of Dreams and MacMillan Cancer have benefited.
Recycling Waste
We recycle paper and cardboard at all our train stations and our main offices additionally recycle plastics, tins and cans. This year we have added recycling newspapers from on-board trains in partnership with our cleaning company, Carlisle Cleaning Support Services.
15% of our waste is recycled
A Greener Future
Our target is to reduce unnecessary waste and recycle 28.5% of our waste by 2012.
Energy Use
We monitor all our electricity, gas and water usage and are working to become more energy efficient.
We have saved £1,500 just from our head office alone.
Our electricity is now supplied by Opus Energy where it is sourced from cleaner low-carbon sources, generated from on-shore wind, small scale hydro and biomass.
Small Changes can make a Big Difference
We have 24 local Environment Champions who engage with and spread the green message to all our employees.
We have developed an Environmental Awareness Course for all our employees and run the course every month. All new entrants attend this course as part of the ‘Welcome on board’ corporate induction.
Our drivers and conductors have been given an environmental awareness brief so they are aware what impacts their actions have on the environment and how they can reduce it.
All the paper we purchase is made from recycled fibre.
We have worked with Rail Gourmet, our on-board catering suppliers to reduce packaging, stock local produce and sell fair-trade tea and coffee.
We recycle all our old uniforms which are no longer wearable.
Tree Planting Partnership with the Forestry Commission
We have joined forces with the Forestry Commission and pledged more than £100,000 in a five-year project to help improve the biodiversity of woodlands close to train stations and routes and build links with local communities.
51 locations will be selected over the five years, that’s one location for each of our class 185 trains!! In effect, each train will be contributing £2,000 for woodland maintenance and planting trees!!
We are in the process of identifying 10 sites for 2008/09 across North West England, North East England, Yorkshire & Humberside and Scotland where tree planting and woodland maintenance works will bring about maximum benefits for local communities while boosting the appearance and biodiversity of areas close to our stations and routes.
The Forestry Commissions Green Grants Scheme
First TransPennine Express and the Forestry Commission would like to inspire people to make a positive improvement to their community and improve their local environment. The Green Grants are available for environmental improvements in relation to trees and/or woodlands for the benefit of the community.
For further information and to download an application form (pdf) please click here. Deadline for applications is 15th October 2010.
Download application form
Community Environmental Bursaries
First TransPennine Express has awarded £10,000 in Community Environmental Bursaries to improve the environment in communities close to our stations and routes.
The following schemes have benefitted from these awards in the past:
Selby High School, Selby - 'Operation good life'
This project will involve the renovation of disused council greenhouses to engage the local community in growing their own produce. The school will work with local agencies and other schools to enable people to learn new skills and supplement their diets with food they have grown. A seed exchange scheme will be set up and there will be a rolling programme of fork to plate sessions where local people can join a cooking session in the school where they will cook what they have harvested that day.
Braeburn Infant and Nursery School, Braeburn, Scarborough - 'Beautiful Braeburn'
This project is to improve the outdoor area of the school with specific areas set up for a quiet area, a scented growing area and playground markings. This will result in improved access to the outdoors to support learning. The project will involve the children planting trees, bulbs, shrubs, flowers and vegetables, learning how to look after them and watching them grow. Plants will be chosen that attract mini beasts (butterflys, insects, ladybirds, snails etc).
Safe Ways Park, Scarborough - 'Nature in the Community'
This project involves long lasting physical improvements to a park that is at present in places overgrown and in others bare. Fruit trees, willow trees and alders would be planted along the Sustrans cycle route. Smaller under-storey shrubs would be planted to enhance the lower area.
Failsworth School, Failsworth, Manchester - 'Failsworth Allotments for all'
This project includes the creation of an allotment with compost facilities so less organic waste will be sent to landfill from the school. It also includes the creation of a wildlife area with suitable shrubs and plants to encourage butterflies, birds and insects; the creation of a small orchard and a rockery and log area to provide additional habitats.
Seamer and Irton Community Primary School, Seamer - 'Developing a quiet area for outdoor playtimes'
The project is to redevelop a neglected quiet play area at the primary school. The project will involve erecting trellis's along 2 sides with climbing plants, 3 benches will be placed along the edges for the children to sit and talk. A range of plants and shrubs will be planted along with a vegetable plot and herb garden.
Yorkshire Air Museum and Allied Air Forces Memorial, Elvington, York - 'Conservation area' awarded £1200
This project is to monitor, manage and encourage the development of the section 106 conservation area. The plan is to make it sustainable and accessible for members of the public. This will be done by clearing areas of brush to make clear education areas and pathways, put up interpretation boards and design resources to accompany the area.
Support Green Events
We supported World Environment Day, the United Nations’ flagship environmental event in June 2008 by urging people to think green and carry reusable bags to reduce the amount of waste. Our staff issued passengers with free reusable bags at all its manned train stations.
A group of First TransPennine volunteers took part in a spring clean of Baguley Brook in Wythenshawe, Manchester as part of the Business in the Community Cares Environment Action Day in May 2008. The clean-up entailed litter picking and clearing unwanted vegetation, followed by planting trees, hedges and wildflowers.
Reducing Your Impact
Every day more and more people are taking action to help tackle climate change – making small changes to their lifestyle to reduce their impact on the environment through the way they travel, by saving energy and water, by reducing waste, re-using, repairing and recycling items and making greener shopping choices. Here are easy ways you can make a difference too.
Park the Car! Take the Train! The Environmental Benefits of Rail Travel
Carbon dioxide (CO2) is one of the main greenhouse gases that cause climate change. Every tonne we avoid emitting into the atmosphere helps reduce the risk of more climate change. The amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere from your activity is called your carbon footprint.
Did you know that the average person’s carbon footprint is 4.483 tonnes of CO2 and over 40% of this comes from personal transport such as cars, motorbikes and flights?
If you can reduce your personal transport carbon footprint by just 20%, you would save 359kg of CO2 – that’s the same amount of CO2 emitted by the electricity used to power a TV for over three years!
So how can you reduce your carbon footprint? On a passenger kilometre basis, travelling by train is less carbon intensive than travelling by car.
What a Difference Taking the Train Makes!
Train travel is much more environmentally-friendly than driving because it produces less carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per passenger kilometre. Choose a route and see what a difference taking the train could make on your normal journey.
As well as being green, there are loads of other great reasons to take the train.
Long Distance Travellers
We can take you to some great destinations so why not go somewhere new? And if you travel 200 miles once a month by train such as Manchester to Edinburgh you could save over half a tonne of CO2 over a year compared to driving. That's the same amount of CO2 emitted by the electricity used to power a TV for 5 years.
Business Travellers
As well as enabling you to get more work done, taking the train to your meetings helps reduce your carbon footprint too. For example by taking the train once a week on a return journey between Newcastle and Manchester saves nearly 1.5 tonnes of CO2 over a year compared to driving. That's the same amount of CO2 emitted by the electricity used to power a computer for 11 years.
Commuters
Buying a season ticket saves you money, and if you travel 100 miles to work (e.g. between Leeds and Newcastle) every day by train, you are saving over 5 tonnes of CO2 each year compared with driving. That's the same amount of CO2 emitted by the electricity used to power a fridge for over 55 years.
Small Changes can make a Big Difference
On our stations and trains….
Save water:
- Only use the water you need
- Turn off taps!
- Report any dripping taps or leaks to a member of staff
A dripping tap can waste a lot of water – just two drips a second can add up to about 26 litres of water a day! A new washer will fix the problem and can be fitted in minutes.
Save energy:
- If lights are on unnecessarily, report it to a member of staff!
If every home in the UK installed just three energy-efficient light bulbs, we would save enough energy to power all our street lights.
Reduce, re-use, recycle:
- Don’t pick up a newspaper unless you really need one!
- If you do get one - why don’t you re-use it to clean your windows or use as pet bedding.
- Or leave it on the train where our cleaners will pick it up and recycle it!
Re-using items is the most efficient way to reduce waste so buy things you can re-use, rather than disposable versions, such as batteries.