Environment
5.1 Environmental Policy
Through our core business activities we are committed to providing good quality, reliable and cost effective public transport and rail freight services to all our customers. Our core business strategy is to increase passenger numbers and encourage a greater move towards the use of bus and rail transport. This will in turn support the needs of society to achieve more sustainable travel. At the same time we recognise the environmental impacts arising from our business activities and are committed to reducing these through effective environmental management.
Our policy is to strive to achieve continual improvement in environmental performance.
We are committed to:
- preventing pollution and reducing the overall impact of our operations on the environment.
- maintaining an internal management structure for the management of environmental issues which includes clearly defined responsibilities for environmental management capable of delivering this policy commitment
- complying with, and where possible exceeding applicable legal and other requirements relating to the organisation.
- monitoring our environmental performance and setting objectives and targets for improvement
- providing appropriate training and awareness programmes for our staff
We recognise the key role we have to play in both reducing and contributing to greenhouse gas emissions from the surface transport sector. Our commitment in this area is set out in our Climate Change Policy.
5.2 Climate Change Policy
Climate change has now been recognised as an international issue with national governments on both sides of the Atlantic committed to taking action to reduce greenhouse emissions. As a major transport operator we recognise that we emit greenhouse gases from operating our vehicle fleet. At the same time we have a role in supporting governments and communities to reduce the impacts of climate change from road transport by helping to reduce traffic congestion and air pollution by offering a real alternative to the car.
We are committed to reducing the greenhouse gas emissions from our operations in a way which supports national government strategies and in line with our commitment to our passengers to provide safe, efficient and reliable services.
Our key climate change commitments are:
- To assess the potential impact to our business from evolving climate change policies as part of our on-going risk management processes.
- To work actively with our suppliers to improve the fuel efficiency of our vehicles.
- To report annually on our greenhouse gas emissions from all vehicles and property in our ownership.
- To actively promote improved energy efficiency and fuel efficiency within our business.
- To support research into transport policy and the use of alternative fuels.
- To stay abreast of alternative fuel developments and continue to assess their commercial viability.
5.3 Biodiversity Policy
Our policy in respect of conserving and promoting biodiversity reflects our commitment to furthering the aims of sustainable development in the management and development of our business. All businesses affect biodiversity through the use of resources and discharge of waste products. This Biodiversity Policy is therefore consistent with our broader Environmental Policy, which includes a stated commitment to minimise the environmental impacts of our operations and prevent pollution.
Our policy is to strive to enhance biodiversity where practicable.
Accordingly our commitments are:
- Where we operate from sites which are designated as being of importance due to their natural habitats, we will work with the relevant authorities and affected parties to ensure protection of these habitats through effective pollution control measures and management plans with the aim of conserving or enhancing the biodiversity of these sites.
- Where we are involved in the development of new sites, we will comply with all relevant statutory requirements and guidelines in respect of designated areas on any of our development sites. Where significant areas of landscaping are proposed, we will aim to promote biodiversity through, for example, sensitivity of planting taking account of any local biodiversity networks or action plans.
- Where we operate from existing sites the potential to promote biodiversity is likely to be limited. The nature of the operations conducted at our sites is such that they are largely covered in hard standing. We will however seek to identify any sites where the potential exists for enhancing biodiversity and over time develop appropriate actions plans to achieve this.
- Where we consider it appropriate to do so, we will support the implementation of the UK Biodiversity Action Plan and Local Biodiversity Action Plans defining areas which require special protection and management to ensure that biodiversity is maintained. We will seek to do this in partnership with the relevant authorities and affected parties, who promote biodiversity on a local and national level and seek to identify ways in which we may be able to support the development of selected schemes or initiatives.