Our Strategy
Merseytravel recognises that the sites we manage, the services we supply and the decisions of our staff have an effect on the environment. We are committed to ensuring environmental sustainability is integrated into the core of our work minimising as best we can, the impact of our operations on the environment.

We were the first PTE/ITA to produce an Environmental Strategy in 1996 and have now published our fourth Environmental Strategy (PDF Download - 1Mb) covering the period 2011-2016. This strategy takes a priority-based approach to ensure our policies are creating positive environmental change on a local, national and global scale.

The six priorities are:

1. 1. Minimising the Impact of Transport and Travel
2. 2. Reducing our Energy Use and Emissions
3. 3. Conserving Resources and Managing Pollution and Waste
4. 4. Environmentally Sustainable Infrastructure and Services
5. 5. Engagement with Partners and Stakeholders
6. 6. Environmental Performance and Monitoring

Our approach as always has been to lead by example and to broaden our impact by influencing the performance of key stakeholders and partners such as transport operators and this is continued within this latest strategy.

Reporting
As part of our commitment to openness, Merseytravel publishes the progress we have made towards environmental improvements across all our activities. Each report contains information on key aspects such as our carbon dioxide emissions, resource use, environmental management system, sustainable design, community work and education programmes.

The Environmental Sustainability Report 2010/2011 (PDF Download - 1.4Mb) concludes our previous 2006-2011 strategy providing an update not only on the preceding year but also a general summary of the work we have undertaken during the 5 years of that strategy.

Previous Annual Environmental Reports:
Environmental Sustainability Report 2009/10 (PDF Download - 2 Mb) contains the progress in delivering our Environmental Sustainability Strategy and our key environmental indicators.

Environmental Sustainability Report 2008/09 (PDF Download – 5 Mb) contains the progress in delivering our Environmental Sustainability Strategy and highlights the sustainable construction of Pier Head Ferry Terminal.

Other published documents:
The Environment and Merseytravel (PDF Download - 1.23Mb) leaflet highlights our achievements during 2009 - Liverpool's Year of the Environment.

Internal Performance

Cutting our carbon footprint
In early 2009, Merseytravel became the first PTE and ITA to achieve certification to the Carbon Trust Standard, by reducing our carbon footprint by 7% from 2006 to 2008. We are a signatory of the Nottingham Declaration on climate change and committed to addressing the causes and impacts of Climate Change with our Partners.

Environmental Management
In June 2003 we became the first PTE and ITA in the country to gain certification to Environmental Management System (EMS) ISO 14001. An EMS is a documented verifiable system to control our significant environmental impacts, ensure legal compliance and deliver continual environmental improvement. One requirement of the EMS is to have an Environmental Policy (PDF Document - 20k) that is available to the public.

Travel Plan
Merseytravel's Travel Plan (PDF Download - 657k) aims to encourage employees to make more sustainable travel choices, by using public transport, walking, cycling or making more efficient use of their cars. The plan was developed with the assistance of TravelWise Merseyside and initiatives are tailored to the needs of each of its sites individually and can enable us to reduce the impact of travel and transport on the environment, while also bringing improvements to staff health and morale as well as cutting the cost of business travel.

A few of the initiatives we have employed to date include installing showers and clothes lockers for those who wish to cycle to work and providing interest free loans of up to £500 for staff wishing to purchase a bicycle for their commute.

External Projects

Merseytravel is a key partner in many Partnership projects across Merseyside and nationally addressing environmental sustainability.

We play an important role in addressing issues such as Local Air Quality, Climate Change (mitigation and adaptation) and input into the environmental sustainability of the Local Transport Plan (LTP).  We are represented on a number of national bodies and play a lead role in the PTEG Sustainability Task Group.

Promoting sustainable biofuels
BIONIC was a €1.4 million project promoting the production and use of sustainably produced road biofuels in Sweden, Romania, Bulgaria, Spain and North West England. The project was part financed by the EC through the Intelligent Energy Europe Programme. BIONIC started in November 2007 and ended in October 2010 and was coordinated by Merseytravel.

The project was started in response to the need for the biofuels industry to develop sustainably so that biofuels can fully contribute to reducing Greenhouse Gas emissions in the road transport sector without causing unintended environmental damage. Since the project was initiated the awareness of the need for biofuels to be sustainable has increased markedly both at a political level and amongst users.

In the North West of England Merseytravel and Lancashire County Council worked together to promote the use of sustainably produced biofuels to fleet users. During the course of the project the North West Biofuels User Group was formed to support the delivery of BIONIC and this group continues to operate to share the findings of the project and support the use of sustainable biofuels. It is currently chaired by Merseytravel and provides a network for fleet users to share experience of biofuel use and to meet North West based producers whilst also providing access to expert speakers. The group is free to join for those wanting to use biofuels in their fleets as well as producers of sustainable biofuels with the aim to break down the barriers to sustainable biofuels usage.

For more information about BIONIC please visit the BIONIC project website.

The BIONIC project partners released Best Practice Guidelines for Sustainable Biofuels in the Community. These guidelines were produced to share the lessons learned through participation in the BIONIC project, and to provide guidance on how local and regional authorities can help to establish and influence the use of sustainable biofuels within the transport sector. They will also be useful for organisations involved or interested in biofuel production or distribution, or with an interest in using biofuels in their vehicles. The guidelines include government policy information, the development of regional networks, barriers and success factors, case studies and policy recommendations.