Achievements
‘Movement for Growth’ was adopted by the West
Midlands Combined Authority in June 2016 as its
strategic transport plan. The plan sets out the overall
approach for transport strategy in the West Midlands to
deliver the vision as set out below:
“We will make great progress for a Midlands economic
‘Engine for Growth’; clean air; improved health and
quality of life for the people of the West Midlands. We
will do this by creating a transport system befitting
a sustainable, attractive and economically vibrant
conurbation in the world’s sixth largest economy”.
It sets out an ambitious plan to greatly improve the
transport system to support economic growth and
regeneration, underpin new development and housing
and improve air quality, the environment and social
inclusion.
We have also made great strides in our environmental
and sustainability commitments. Over the period of the
last Strategy our successes include:
• In 2010 we developed a Green Transport Charter
called ‘Moving Ahead: A Green Transport Charter for
the West Midlands’. This initiative saw seventeen
organisations from the transport sector and its
partners pledge to work together to reduce carbon,
support innovation and share best practice.
• Maintained our ‘full’ pledge status and commitment
to the UITP (International Organisation for Public
Transport Authorities and Operators) Sustainability
Charter joining signatories from around the world
delivering and reporting on sustainability.
• We achieved the Carbon Trust Standard for our
head office premises in 2011 and were successfully
recertified to the Standard in 2014, demonstrating a
28.7% carbon reduction over a two-year compliance
period and passing a qualitative assessment with a
score of 80%.
• Established robust carbon reduction targets across
a range of environmental measures. In 2012/13 we
achieved a 4.5% reduction in energy consumption,
21% decrease in waste generation, 41% increase
in recycling and 58% reduction in pool car use
compared with the 2010/11 baseline.
- Refurbished the Birmingham head office building,
introducing low energy lighting, energy efficient
heating system and water saving measures. - Secured Government funding and contributed
to funding electric and hybrid buses operating in
the West Midlands in partnership with National
Express West Midlands, Rotala and DeCourcey
public transport operators. - Secured Government funding for exhaust particle traps on over 200 National Express and Travel DeCourcey buses.
- Developed a Low Emission Bus Delivery Plan for
the West Midlands to ensure the cleanest buses are allocated to the most polluted areas. This won the Passenger Transport Award at the 2016 National Air Quality Awards. - Our procurement practices were successfully and independently assessed as being ‘competent’ against the BS8903 Sustainable Procurement guideline in early 2014. A credible and notable first achievement and a good building block to help us move forward. Initiatives that help support this award include our commitment to reducing resource consumption and being more sustainable through improving our procurement process (e.g. all tender processes are now electronic; PQQ and ITT documents are now on-line).
- From March 2014 our electricity supply will be
generated from renewable sources until 2017
minimum - Installed electric vehicle infrastructure charging
points at 16 Summer Lane and at selected Park & Ride sites throughout the region. - Wolverhampton Travel Information Centre achieved BREEAM (the sustainable design building award) ‘Very Good’ rating. In addition, we are moving towards ensuring all our infrastructure complies with good sustainable building practices.
- We launched our Corporate Social Responsibility
Strategy in 2013. The Strategy outlines how we
are and aim to serve our communities, striving
to be customer focused, engaging with staff and
operating sustainably as a business. - Smart Network, Smarter Choices (SNSC) was a
multi-million pound programme that ran from
2012 to 2016 designed to help tackle congestion, reduce carbon emissions and kick start the regional economy. The project implemented a wide range of sustainable travel schemes along 10 key corridors in the West Midlands and achieved a National Transport Award in 2015. - In September 2014 the West Midlands ITA
approved the West Midlands Cycling Charter. The West Midlands Cycling Charter outlines the key principles that all partners have adopted to deliver the required step change in cycling across the West Midlands Metropolitan area, representing a shared vision and approach to increase cycling levels across the West Midlands. A detailed Action Plan was outlined in September 2015 and is currently being delivered with the target of increasing levels of cycling to 5% of all trips by 2023. - As part of the SNSC Programme, we introduced a ‘Top Cycling Location’ accreditation scheme for employers and education sites that have proven their ongoing commitment to cycling and walking. TfWM carry out assessments
against a range of criteria and award either bronze, silver or gold Top Location status. In 2016 a further tier was introduced, awarding those organisations who have shown an exceptional commitment towards both cycling and walking with a platinum award. Across the West Midlands 71 organisations currently hold Top Locations including Wolverhampton Council who were awarded the first Platinum Active Travel Location in October 2016. - We published annual environmental performance reports ensuring that our
stakeholders can review how we are performing against objectives. - Our comprehensive environmental awareness raising programme is engaging staff and encouraging behaviour change that is supporting attainment of our environmental goals.