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Leading the way through carbon reduction
MERSEYTRAVEL
is trailblazing the environmental agenda among the UK’s passenger
transport executives (PTEs), after becoming the first in the country
to achieve the Carbon Trust Standard.
To achieve the standard, Merseytravel has had to show it is taking
real and direct action on climate change by reducing its carbon
footprint year on year. Merseytravel’s carbon footprint has
dropped by 7% since 2006.
Neil Scales, Chief Executive and Director General of Merseytravel
said:- “With 2009 being Liverpool’s Year of the Environment
there is no better time to have achieved this. It is great
recognition for the work that we’ve done internally and something
that we can be proud to tell our customers. This is something
to celebrate and it is yet another ‘first’. We were the first PTE to
gain certification to an Environmental Management System; the first
to develop an environment strategy and the first to launch an
Environmental Committee, driven by our politicians in the Passenger
Transport Authority.”
Tom Delay, CEO of the Carbon Trust said:- “We congratulate
Merseytravel in achieving the Carbon Trust Standard and challenge
other organisations to follow their example and prove that they too
are taking tangible steps to fight climate change.”
Chair of the Environment Committee is Councillor Ken McGlashan
(pictured at Liverpool South Parkway).
Cllr McGlashan added his tributes, saying:- “It shows that we
are at the forefront when it comes to tackling climate change and
have taken action by reducing the carbon emissions that we are
directly responsible for. There has been no buying our way out
or offsetting our emissions. We have actually reduced the energy we
are using.”
Just a handful of the projects that has enabled Merseytravel to
achieve the Carbon Trust Standard are:-
► Reducing the engine speeds of the Mersey Ferries vessels
► The installation of
a new computerised system to control energy use across Merseytravel
buildings
► The installation of
variable speed motors and drives for the giant ventilation fans at
the Mersey Tunnels
The Carbon Trust Standard requires Merseytravel to keep reducing its
carbon footprint and plans are currently being developed to further
reduce the organisation’s impact on the environment. The
Carbon Trust Standard is the world’s only initiative that requires
an organisation to take action themselves by reducing their own
carbon emissions year-on-year. The Carbon Trust Standard was
launched in June 2008 with the support of Environment Secretary
Hilary Benn and Dragon’s Den entrepreneur Deborah Meaden.
Re-assessment for the standard will take place in 2010.
The award winning interchange, considered best practice in the UK,
has reduced its impact on the environment; saving 700,000 litres of
mains water through rainwater harvesting, 40 tonnes of CO2 a year
through geothermal heat pumps, as well as roof insulation (saving
3.4 tonnes of CO2) and solar photovoltaic cells (saving 1.5 tonnes
of CO2). |
Crime and grime kicked out of Anfield
IT
is the latest area of Liverpool to be targeted through the city’s
intensive Respect weeks of action, in which the council and other
public and voluntary agencies team up to tackle issues of concern to
local people.
As well as increased
police activity and action to tackle truancy, there will be litter
picks, clean ups of fly tipping, trade waste and graffiti. Residents
will also be able to place rubbish in community skips placed around
the area.
On Wednesday, community representatives will go on patrol around the
ward with Merseyside Police on quad bikes as part of a high
visibility public reassurance campaign.
Councillor Marilyn Fielding, executive member for safer, stronger
communities, said:- “The issues we are tackling during the
weeks of action are those that local people have told us that they
want dealt with.
By targeting a
specific area and devoting significant resources we can have a major
impact and make a visible difference to its appearance, which
benefits the whole community.
We have had a
tremendous amount of success with our Respect programme, and the
feedback from local people has been extremely positive.”
There will also be a series of community events taking place through
the week to help people improve their health and get into training
and employment, along with youth activities such as kick boxing,
football, netball, badminton and basketball.
Councillor Berni Turner, executive member for environment, said:-
“Keeping our communities clean and green is crucially important
to making sure our neighbourhoods are places people want to live.
Respect week
will make a real difference to the quality of life for people living
in the area.”
A full calendar of events taking place during the week has been
delivered to residents across the area.
Already on Tuesday, 20 January 2009 a family health and information day at the Lighthouse on
Oakfield Road as well as a ‘Lose a
Million Pounds’ health tanker giving advice about getting fit and
eating healthily at the Triangle on Breck Road where held. The
day ended with a workshop
for young people by former criminal John Murray warning about the
dangers of guns, drugs, gangs, knives and prison at St Columbus
Church on Pinehurst Avenue.
Still to come:-
Wednesday, 21 January 2009
12noon to 2pm – Line dancing sessions at the Active Age Centre on
Townsend Lane
5:30pm – Mock trial
in which people will be able to judge whether an offender is guilty
and the sentence they should receive, at the Community Justice
Centre on Boundary Street
Thursday, 22 January 2009
9:30am to 3pm – Jobs café at giving advice on employment and training Anfield Sports Centre on Lower Breck Road
6 to 9pm – Mobile youth
bus with arts, crafts and interactive games and activities will be
located on Lake Street close to Liverpool FC
Friday, 23 January 2009
12:30 to 2:30pm – Family alcohol awareness session to highlight the
important of safe levels of drinking at Anfield Sports and Community
Centre in Breckside Park
Saturday, 24
January 2009
10am to 4pm – Jungle Park youth engagement activities at Stanley Park |
