Cutting down waste, reducing noise and protecting the great crested newt were just some of the schemes recognised at Network Rail’s Environment Awards last night.
Network Rail honoured achievements made across the rail industry, which have improved the environment; Chairman Ian McAllister presented prizes before an audience of 132 invited guests at a ceremony in Somerset House.
Congratulating the winners, Network Rail’s Chief Executive, John Armitt, said: “Network Rail and the rail industry are committed to caring for and enhancing the environment and balancing this with the need to deliver a reliable and safe railway network.
“These awards recognise the efforts being made to ensure the railway is an environmentally positive mode of transport.”
Balfour Beatty Rail Track System took the Innovative Working Practice award for its initiative to reduce the amount of waste going to landfill by 95%.
Edmund Nuttall Ltd took the Innovative Technology honours for investigating methods of reducing noise when grit-blasting bridges and introducing acoustic sheets for the first time on a construction site.
AMEC SPIE Route 7 Alliance was recognised for successfully managing waste south of Manchester as part of the West Coast Mainline project. Many environmental issues were addressed including relocating badger setts, pollution prevention and monitoring work in areas populated by great crested newts.
In the train operator category, First Group scooped the prize for a number of initiatives including investment in new engines and enhancing cycling facilities across the network.
Cleartrack Salcey Evl Ltd took the contractor honours for its creation of a database of environment information including all the costs involved in the forward planning of vegetation management. They also developed policies on birds, bats and badgers and made the information available to crews. This was demonstrated during the Roade Cutting Site of Special Interest Vegetation Management project.
The Innovative Strategy was awarded to Temple Environment Consultants Ltd for their sustainability appraisal for Thameslink 2000, the first for a railway project in the UK. This made the link between key environmental performance and benefits, looking at aspects including quality of life, use of natural resources and design elements.
Full list of Network Rail Environment Award Winners:
| Environment Award |
Winner |
| Innovative
Working Practice |
Balfour
Beatty Rail Track Systems |
| Contractor |
Cleartrack
Salcey EvL |
| Train
Operator |
First
Group |
| Train
Operator
(Most Improved) |
Eurostar |
| Train
Operator
(Special Commendation) |
National
Express Group |
| Innovative
Strategy |
Temple
Environment Consultants |
| Innovative
Technology |
Edmund
Nuttall |
| Innovative
Technology
(Special Commendation) |
Amey
Infrastructure Services |
| Innovative
Technology
(Special Commendation) |
Angel
Trains |
| Alliance
|
AMEC
SPIE Rail Route 7 Alliance |
Notes to Editors
Network Rail is the 'not for dividend' owner and operator of Britain's railway infrastructure, which includes the tracks, signals, tunnels, bridges, viaducts, level crossings and stations – the largest of which we also manage
We are working to rebuild Britain’s railway and provide a safe, reliable and efficient rail infrastructure for freight and passenger trains to use
Our website: www.networkrail.co.uk
Media contact: 020 7557 8292
