Environment

By managing our businesses in a responsible and sustainable way, we help create a thriving economy whilst limiting our impact on the environment.

Our activities have environmental impacts - both positive and negative. Minimising our impact and taking steps to protect and enhance our environment, is fundamental to our strategy.  

Improving on our environmental impact

Bus and rail travel are a force for good and we take our role seriously as being part of the solution in tackling climate change and poor air quality. We are part of the solution and continually seek innovative ways to maximise the benefits we bring and minimise our adverse impacts on the environment. Trains and buses are two of the greenest travel choices people can make; one bus can carry up to 75 people and a single train can carry over 1,000, collectively taking thousands of cars off the road.

In July 2021, we launched our Climate Change Strategy setting out the how we will continue to adapt to the effects of climate change. This includes decarbonising our transport fleet, reducing the negative impact of air quality from our operations, cutting our water usage and reducing waste. We have set a Science Based Target to become a net zero carbon business by 2045, with ambitious milestones along the way. 

Governance is provided through the Climate Change Task Force, a multi-functional, multi-business team of people selected from across operating companies and head office, charged with formulating this plan and enabling the subsequent programme of climate-related projects to be delivered successfully.

See further details on our Climate Change Strategy here

Targets

2035

the year we aim to operate a zero-emissions bus fleet

2045

the year we will be a net zero emissions business

75%

reduction in CO2 emissions by 2030 

2023

the year by which we will reduce CO2 emissions by 18% per vehicle mile 

Initiatives 

  • Largest operator of electric buses in the UK
  • Europe’s first all elect bus depot at London, Waterloo
  • Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) trails in London, Oxford and North Lincolnshire, offering a more environmentally friendly transport alternative to high numbers of low occupancy cars
  • Introduced the UK’s first air filtering bus that removes ultrafine particles from the air and traps them as the bus moves through streets

Disclosure and verification

  • First major public transport company to achieve the ISO 50001 certificate in 2018 for energy management for all UK operations
  • ISO 20400:2017 standard on sustainable procurement 
  • Awarded the London Stock Exchange Green Economy Mark, an accreditation which recognises businesses with at least 50% green revenues
  • Received a B grade from the CDP (formerly, the Carbon Disclosure Project)
  • Signatory of TCFD