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Wednesday 7 May 2025

Making a splash: Network Rail teams up with City to Sea to reduce single-use plastics at Bristol Temple Meads

Region & Route:

Wales & Western: Western

| Wales & Western

Network Rail has teamed up with City to Sea, the environmental organisation behind the award-winning Refill campaign, on an initiative that inspires passengers at Bristol Temple Meads to choose refillable bottles, helping to save an estimated 150,000 plastic bottles from ending up as waste.

The awareness-driven campaign encourages passengers at the Bristol station to refill their bottles, rather than choosing single-use plastic.

The first-of-its-kind collaboration has seen the installation of prominent refill stations, station-wide signage, digital screens, and in-app integration through City to Sea’s Refill app. Together, these efforts have reached over 500,000 passengers and inspired thousands of water refills—delivering real impact where it’s needed most.

With over five million single-use plastic bottles thrown away every day in the UK, travel hubs are key contributors—and key opportunities for change. By improving access to free, clean water and making it easy and appealing to refill on the go, this partnership is reshaping how passengers hydrate while travelling.

Gabriella Colwell, Network Rail’s station delivery manager at Bristol Temple Meads, said: “We all have a part to play in tackling plastic pollution and we’re proud to be working with City to Sea to make a difference at Bristol Temple Meads. By highlighting how simple and quick it is to fill up at the station, we’re reducing the need for passengers to turn to single-use plastics, while improving the travelling experience by making it easy to hydrate on the go.”

Cyan Stuart, partnership manager at City to Sea, said: “This partnership with Network Rail shows just how powerful collaboration can be in driving behaviour change. By placing refilling at the heart of one of the UK’s busiest travel hubs, we empowered hundreds of thousands of people to take simple, positive action—refilling rather than reaching for a plastic bottle.

“We’re calling on all travel and transport organisations to join the refill revolution. Whether you're in rail, air, bus, or tourism, we can help you cut waste, meet your sustainability goals, and deliver a better experience for your customers. Let's work together to turn the tide on plastic pollution.”