Environment Information

We produced our first Environmental Strategy in 1996 and were the first PTE/A to do this. Our first strategy was borne from the Local Agenda 21 debate and as an organisation we have moved on considerably since then. We have now completed our third Environmental Sustainability Strategy which covers the period 2006-2011, and this is available below. This strategy takes a two-pronged approach to demonstrate how our in-house policies are creating positive environmental change on a local, national and global scale and how on a wider scale our external corporate policies are having far reaching benefits in the community, the environment and the economy. Our approach has very much been to lead by example to broaden our impact by influencing the performance of key stakeholders and partners such as transport operators.

A copy of the Environmental Strategy (2006/2011) is available for downloading here (PDF Download - 2.14Mb).

In June 2003 we became the first PTE/A in the country to gain accreditation to a recognised Environmental Management System (EMS) - the International Standard ISO 14001. An EMS is a documented verifiable system to control our significant environmental impacts, ensure legal compliance and deliver continuous environmental improvement. One requirement of the EMS is to have an Environmental Policy that is available to the public. Merseytravel's Environmental Policy (PDF Document - 27k) is as follows:

The Government's environment and transport policies

As an organisation we see our environmental and transport policies as impinging on and having positive effects on each of the underlying themes listed below:
Health
Accessibility
Air Quality
Regeneration
Climate Change
Energy
Resource Use and Disposal

As part of a commitment to openness, Merseytravel reports on the progress we have made towards environmental improvements in all our activities. The annual reports are available for downloading here.

Annual Report 2007 (PDF Download - 5.50Mb).
Annual Report 2006 (PDF Download - 1.47Mb).
Annual Report 2005 (PDF Download - 3.80Mb).
Annual Report 2004 (PDF Download - 5.73Mb).
Annual Report 2003 (PDF Download - 5.82Mb).
Annual Report 2002 (PDF Download - 1.73Mb).
Annual Report 2001 (PDF Download - 1.44Mb).

Clean Accessible Transport for Community Health (CATCH)

Merseytravel is committed to promoting sustainable mobility and improving air quality. Through the purchase of cleaner vehicles, the 'cleaning up' of existing vehicles and various sustainable mobility measures and monitoring, the CATCH project seeks to change policy and implement change. Funded through the European Commissions (EC) Life-Environment Programme, this project and other similar projects, are extremely useful and are used in promotion of best practice in the EC. CATCH is being implemented in Liverpool (UK), Suceava (Romania) and Potenza (Italy).

CATCH objectives are to:

Promote sustainable mobility (walking, cycling and public transport)
Develop an innovative, partnership-based approach to transport-related environment policy in Liverpool
Improve urban air quality eg 88 particulate traps fitted to Arriva buses, 16 buses fitted with traps and NOx reducing equipment, and a new diesel-electric hybrid bus service to be introduced in Liverpool city centre
Contribute to the EC's Kyoto commitments
Develop an innovative pollution monitoring kit
Disseminate results and promote best practice
Transfer knowledge and experience to other EU member states and Candidate Countries

As part of the CATCH project, a sustainable mobility information bureau exists (ECOtravel). The bureau provides information to businesses and the public on all aspects of the CATCH project, air quality in the region, sustainable travel, alternative fuels, potential cost saving measures for vehicle owners and much more. Click below for more details.

Ecological Footprint Study

Merseytravel is concerned about the environmental and potential health impacts of transport in Merseyside. The Environmental Strategy outlines how those concerns will be turned into policy and action. To assist in the understanding of sustainable transport issues, Merseytravel commissioned Stockholm Environment Institute and Sustainable Steps Environmental Consultants to undertake cutting edge research into the potential for using a tool known as ecological footprinting. The tool has been used successfully on a number of projects, such as in Liverpool and the Isle of Wight, but this is the first time it has focussed solely on transport. The results of the research are available for downloading here (PDF Download - 681k).

The ecological footprint is a means of measuring how our everyday activities affect the environment. In this case the footprint is expressed by the area of land that would need to be planted with trees to negate the CO2 produced from our transport requirements. Merseytravel together with Merseyside TravelWise hope to use the ecological footprint as a promotional tool with schools (FutureSteps) and businesses (TravelCal) to highlight how small changes either in mode of transport or type of vehicle used can reduce our ecological footprint. It will be available for organisations developing travel plans to work out the ecological footprint of their fleets. To date it has been piloted at a number of schools and organisations working with TravelWise such as Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service.

The software should be available for downloading shortly.

Air Quality Modelling Information: Merseytravel made a commitment to investigate the air quality impacts of the use of major public transport facilities throughout Merseyside. Entec UK Ltd were commissioned to undertake an air quality modelling exercise to determine the potential impacts of public transport movements through six bus stations and two rail stations, and to identify whether monitoring would be required. The results of that study are available to download here (PDF Download - 1.26Mb).

Education Information: The future of environmental guardianship is with the children of today. Merseytravel helps support schools in spreading the positive message about public transport, as well as the health benefits of walking and cycling, with a range of educational materials.

If you would like to find out more, contact the Community Links Access Team on 0151 330 1200.

Education Resources.

Clear Zones Information

A Clear Zone seeks to develop:

"An accessible, lively and sustainable urban area, where traffic congestion, pollution, noise, stress and other negative impacts of mobility are eliminated or limited by applying and innovating techniques and technologies."

Merseyside has been chosen as one of 9 pilot schemes, known as 'Trailblazers' to promote this concept.

The objectives of the Merseyside Clear Zone are encompassed in Liverpool's City Centre Movement Strategy and are being implemented through individual innovative schemes in the EC funded CATCH (Clean Accessible Transport for Community Health) project:

To create attractive city centre spaces with greater priority for pedestrians.
To create new and improved pedestrian and public transport routes to link new and existing employment, leisure and shopping facilities.
To tackle congestion and improve parking by re-routing through-traffic and improving circulation. To create new areas for on and off-street parking.
To make the city more accessible by introducing Merseytram, enhanced bus routes, clearer pedestrian routes and cycle routes and parking.
To introduce realistic alternatives to the private car and improve public transport infrastructure.
To create a safer environment by improving lighting and introducing CCTV.
To create a cleaner, greener City Centre environment.
To increase the number of visitors to the City Centre and create an environment in which people will spend their leisure time.
To promote sustainable transport as a travel choice by improved education and awareness raising.

If you want to find out more about Clear Zones they can be contacted at;

Clear Zones Office
c/o Transport & Travel Research Ltd
Arundel House
6 Portland Square
Bristol
BS2 8RR.

Tel: 0117 907 6522
Fax: 0117 907 4146
Email: Clearzones@ttr.globalnet.co.uk

Merseytravel Travel Plan - Giant Steps: Merseytravel's Travel Plan came about as a result of both the organisation seeking and attaining ISO 14001 and Merseytravel's involvement with the Merseyside TravelWise programme. It was adopted in August 2002. The travel plan has involved surveying employee commuting patterns, asking amongst other things how staff travel, how far they travel and what would encourage them to use alternative modes. The Travel Plan is a means of promoting equity within the organisation by ensuring there is access for all, it is also a way of reducing our environmental non-direct effects by discouraging single occupancy car journeys and encouraging healthier more sustainable ways of travel to our employees. A few of the initiatives we have employed to date include installing pool bicycles for commuting between sites and interest free loans for staff wishing to purchase a bicycle for commuting to work.

The Travel Plan is available for downloading here (PDF Download - 657k).