Sustainability conference: Cutting carbon and connecting communities
Hosted by Rail Partners, the sustainability conference took place on 13 November at the Barbican Centre in the City of London.
Rail Partners’ first ever sustainability conference focussed on two themes: cutting carbon and connecting communities. The event saw TOC colleagues and others who are championing sustainability initiatives within the railway share lessons for now and for the future in making the railway more sustainable through reducing its environmental impact and bringing rail closer to communities.
Panel sessions alongside engaging speakers and exhibition stands were present, with lots of ideas for improving the sustainability of your business.
Jools Townsend, Community Rail Network, published a blog ahead of the session on connecting communities. Find it here.
Speakers included:
- Shamit Gaiger, OBE, West Coast Partnership Development gave an insight into embedding sustainability and social value in HS2
- Rachel Turner, East Midlands Railway provided a case study on the opportunities to reduce carbon from introducing new bi-mode trains
- Jase Brooker, GTR on GTR's work with community climate action group Energy Garden to install solar panels at its depots
- Jools Townsend, Community Rail Network talked about opportunities to strengthen links with local communities and increase patronage
- Richard Dilks, CoMo UK showed how railway stations can act as mobility hubs bringing sustainable transport modes together
- Frances Harkin, HACT on how the social housing sector has strengthened community engagement and increased social value
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