Greener Anglia: Train operator cuts its carbon emissions by 17% in …
Greater Anglia’s reported carbon emissions have dropped 17% in a year.
The West Anglia mainline operator responsible for train services through Bishop’s Stortford, Stansted and Sawbridgeworth cut its footprint by over 67,000 tonnes between April 1, 2022 and March 1 this year, according to a report by independent environmental consultancy WSP.
It was the third year in a row that Greater Anglia has reduced its carbon emissions – and the latest saving is the equivalent of the emissions produced by more than 130,000 homes’ annual electricity usage.
The train operator has been working to minimise its carbon emissions with the aim of achieving Net Zero along with the rest of the rail industry by 2050.
It has introduced new, more energy-efficient trains, cut waste, increased recycling and worked to improve sustainability and biodiversity at railway stations.
The company has begun installing wireless energy management systems at its stations, to ensure heating and lighting are used efficiently, and has taken steps to reduce water consumption.
The reduction in emissions is also in part thanks to the continued “greening” of the National Grid, which now uses more renewable sources to generate electricity, and this in turn powers Greater Anglia’s electric trains, depots and stations.
Greater Anglia’s environment and energy manager, Nir Barak, said: “I am pleased that we have made even more progress in the last year towards becoming ever more sustainable as an organisation.
“Research shows that trains are the most environmentally friendly form of transport, after cycling and walking, with greenhouse gas emissions per kilometre by rail being far less than cars.
“Our new trains are more efficient and produce less particulate pollution than our old ones, which is helping to make rail travel in East Anglia an even more environmentally friendly option.”
Greater Anglia’s new trains are designed to be more efficient and are built to higher emissions standards. Aerodynamic fronts, lighter chassis and brakes which return energy back to the network are some of the features.
The trains are also longer, with more seats to carry more passengers, potentially taking more cars off the road, preventing harmful CO2 emissions and reducing congestion.
A new carbon calculator, online at www.greateranglia.co.uk/GreenerAnglia[1], shows how travellers can cut their carbon footprint by switching to rail.
References
- ^ www.greateranglia.co.uk/GreenerAnglia (tracking.vuelio.co.uk)