Stagecoach’s sustainable strategy launched

In an effort to enhance its green credentials, Stagecoach Group has launched a new sustainability strategy. It is aimed at cutting carbon emissions, reducing water consumption and improving recycling at its transport operations in the UK, mainland Europe and North America. The operator’s new five year strategy, ‘Shared responsibility, shared future’, produced in partnership with the Carbon Trust, sets out a package of investments at the Group’s bus and rail businesses. By April 2019, the Group is aiming to: reduce buildings carbon emissions by 7%, cut like-for-like fleet transport carbon emissions by 2%, lower water consumption by 9% and achieve a waste recycling rate of 83%.

Around £1.3m of capital expenditure will be invested in measures to reduce Stagecoach’s environmental resources footprint in its buildings alone. This will be focused on lighting, heating, ventilation and air conditioning, as well as behaviour change and monitoring. It is expected to deliver cumulative cost savings of £4.7m by 2019. The Group will continue with its annual bus and coach investment programme, which has seen £545m spent in the last seven years in making the fleet even greener and more efficient.

Stagecoach plans to investigate further options to switch to alternative fuels which reduce dependence on higher-carbon sources. As well as a number of carbon reduction projects and water and waste initiatives, it will also be aiming to: reduce business travel; develop green travel plans and incentives for our people, customers and other organisations; improve sustainability in its supply chain; improve the accessibility of its bus and rail services; and continue promoting awareness of biodiversity issues.