Transport group Stagecoach today (Friday 24 April) brought to an end its first ever Group-wide Green Week – by promising to continue its drive to help tackle the challenge of climate change.
Over the past week, Stagecoach staff and customers across the UK and in North America and Canada have enjoyed a series of activities aimed at promoting the environmental benefits of using public transport.
During Green Week Stagecoach also took the opportunity to outline its commitment to reducing its own carbon footprint as well as reminding people of the cost savings that can be achieved by using public transport instead of commuting by car.
Bringing Green Week to a close, Stagecoach Group Chief Executive Brian Souter said: "This has been a very successful initiative for us. We’ve had an excellent response from passengers and staff to the activities we’ve organised. It’s very pleasing to see that, even when times are tough, people still care about the environment.
"We hope that by promoting our message of greener, smarter bus and rail travel we have encouraged our customers and staff to think about ways in which they can live greener lives and help tackle the challenge of climate change.
"Green Week is just one element of our on-going environment strategy. We will continue to promote low-carbon, reliable and good value public transport as well as striving to further reduce our own carbon footprint day in, day out across every area of our business."
Among the events held throughout Green Week was an online customer competition for 20 people across the UK to win a year’s free travel on their local Stagecoach bus network. Thousands of people entered via the company’s websites with the winners being announced locally next week.
On Tuesday, more than 20,000 free ‘green kits’ were distributed across the country from bus stations, while hundreds of school pupils also took part in Green Week through a green poster competition. In addition, green roadshows and demonstration events were held across Stagecoach’s rail operations, along with energy saving trials and initiatives.
Stagecoach employees were invited to nominate their Stagecoach Green Champion – the staff member felt to be contributing the most to reducing the company’s carbon footprint. The company’s first ever Green Champion will be announced to staff next week.
Stagecoach has a wide-ranging strategy to tackle climate change and make its business more sustainable. As well as meeting its regulatory obligations, it includes:
- Investing in more fuel efficient vehicles
- Using alternative, renewable fuels
- Providing training in more efficient driving techniques
- Saving energy at offices and depots
- Conserving and recycling water
- Reducing and recycling waste
- Reducing business travel
- Providing affordable bus and rail travel
- Developing green travel plans and incentives for staff, customers and partner organisations.
Stagecoach is continuing to improve its environmental performance with the introduction of a three-year Carbon Management Programme (CMP), in partnership with energy management consultancy, Inenco.
For further information on Green Week or about Stagecoach’s wide-ranging strategy to tackle climate change, visit www.stagecoach.com
