Our approach to managing vehicle emissions
Vehicle emissions are a major contributor to global pollution and climate change. With a fleet of over 2,500 vehicles and an annual business mileage of over 13 million miles, we need to manage our transport use to reduce environmental impacts and financial costs.
Sustainable transport strategy
Responsibility for transport sits within our Fleet Services department, part of our Carbon Management team. Their aim is to raise awareness of the environmental and financial impacts of driving, and to encourage use of more sustainable transport.
Most recently, this strategy has included:
- monitoring of the Automatic Vehicle Location (AVL) systems installed in all Thames Water vehicles so that fuel efficiency and driving patterns can be assessed and improved
- launching a new intranet site for staff to provide advice on transport issues
- publishing advice for our staff on how to minimise emissions when driving
- creating a weekly safety checklist for employees to use when assessing their vehicles - this includes advice on maintaining the correct air pressure in tyres, which influences fuel consumption and emissions
Encouraging sustainable transport usage
We offer our staff interest-free season ticket loans to encourage them to use more sustainable forms of transport when travelling to work. We also continue to review possible support for alternatives to the car, including walking, cycling and public transport. We also run a scheme giving staff the opportunity to purchase bicycles at a discounted price.
As a responsible employer, we also allow more flexible working, including home-working, which reduces the need to travel and helps our employees balance work and home life.
