South West Trains has updated its environmental policy, developed a plan containing objectives and KPIs for all functions within the company, and put in place monthly environmental briefings covering all staff.

South West Trains held its first Environmental Awareness Week in February 2008, which included an environmental roadshow to raise the profile of these issues among our people. Last year, it organised its environmental awareness workshop for customer services employees that identified a number of actions to improve its environmental performance at stations, including the involvement of tenants.

Our UK Rail division is an active member of the Association of Train Operating Companies (“ATOC”) Sustainability Forum set up in 2007 and it is currently working with ATOC to identify an industry ‘carbon trajectory’ to 2020 in light of likely future legislation.

Environmental management is central to our approach in our rail operations. Our strategy is focused on reducing energy consumption within stations and depots, as well as cutting traction energy. We have now worked with the Carbon Trust to survey 60 sites across the network in order to identify energy saving opportunities. South West Trains is a significant consumer of electricity to power trains. This electricity is purchased via industry arrangements from mainly nuclear sources.

South West Trains has also achieved ISO 14001 environmental quality accreditation for its train depots. Plans have been developed for an ‘energy awareness’ training session for station managers and key staff. We will work with Network Rail to review the use of coasting boards which advise train drivers that they may “coast” the train (i.e. keep it moving without applying power) in order to reduce traction energy.

South West Trains is currently trialling bio-diesel on one of its diesel units. The trial will last approximately six months with cost, impact on the engine and viability assessed as part of the project. We have also taken part in a successful trial of low sulphur diesel on one of our Class 159 trains in conjunction with ATOC and the Rail Safety and Standards Board, with no adverse impact reported on the engine.

An environmental improvement has resulted from the introduction of controlled emission toilets to trains in the fleet. Effluent is collected in tanks, emptied at special depot facilities, and transferred hygienically into the national sewage network.

Carriage washing machines have been replaced with new modern washers, which use alkaline instead of acid wash and often recycle water. Northam, the base for the state-of-the-art Desiro fleet, has a carriage wash with a sophisticated filtration system, ensuring 75% of the water can be recycled. While limited space has prevented water recycling at every facility, all machines are fitted with tanks that hold one month’s detergent supply, reducing the frequency of deliveries.

Garbology, our industry-leading waste segregation and recycling operation, continues to expand. Centred on our Wimbledon Traincare Depot, the programme involves waste being sorted into different types, with items such as cardboard and paper taken away for recycling. A culture of “re-use” and “recycle” is gathering pace to reduce waste being turned into landfill. Recycling schemes have been set up at nine locations and we are planning to roll-out a paper and card recycling programme to 12 key locations during 2008.

East Midlands Trains has ISO 14001 certification at its train depots and, as part of our plans for the franchise, we are progressing towards the implementation of an environmental management system to the same standard.

We are undertaking site energy surveys at East Midlands Trains’ major depots and stations as well as developing an action plan to reduce energy and water use. Plans include the development of a ‘Green Station’ featuring on-site renewable energy generation.

East Midlands Trains is working with Bombardier to modify the Class 222 Train Management System to allow easier shutdown of engines at turn-arounds and possible en-route coasting of engines. We have also started the installation of new, more efficient VP185 engines to our High Speed Train power cars where these were not already fitted.

We are targeting further environmental improvements from better fuel monitoring and management as well as the introduction of eco-driving to our driver training programme. Our waste management plans involve improving recycling rates at three depots and two major stations as well as introducing separation of on-train waste on mainline services.

Sheffield Supertram has a programme that ensures waste metals, oils, solvents, aerosol cans, used batteries, newspapers and tyres are recycled. The company has used a new tram tyre supplier since 2006, which has extended tyre life by between 17% and 20%.

Manchester Metrolink has become the first tram system in the UK to be powered using water. Greater Manchester Passenger Transport Executive (GMPTE) has signed a deal with Scottish and Southern Energy to use hydroelectricity to run the service, which will substantially cut CO2 emissions. Metrolink is already one of the most environmentally-friendly forms of transport in Greater Manchester as it does not produce air pollution at street level.