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Tuesday 18 Jun 2019

Scotland’s rail passengers take on plastic with refill revolution

Region & Route:

Scotland’s Railway: Scotland

Passengers at Glasgow Central and Edinburgh Waverley have helped save almost 100,000 plastic bottles by using the stations’ refill points.

Across Britain, passengers at Network Rail stations have helped save the equivalent of a million plastic bottles.

Introduced last year, Network Rail’s free drinking water fountains, which are available at 19 of the biggest stations around Britain, are now saving over 100,000 water bottles from landfill every month.

In Scotland, Glasgow Central station’s fountains have dispensed the equivalent of 37,881 500ml plastic bottles and Waverley’s the equivalent of 56,353. London Euston station has seen the biggest uptake with the equivalent of 219,487 bottles saved.

Network Rail has now set a target of saving two million water bottles by the end of the year and is encouraging passengers to make the switch to reusable bottles to help reach this milestone.

The announcement coincides with National Refill Day on June 19, an initiative led by City to Sea that aims to reduce plastic pollution.

Passengers are encouraged to download City to Sea’s Refill App which connects people to over 21,000 Refill Stations around the UK, including Network Rail’s water fountains.

Andrew Haines, Network Rail chief executive, said: “This is a great start and shows that passengers share our passion to reduce single use plastic. I regularly use the water fountains when I’m on the go and I’m pleased to say we’re making it even easier for people using our stations to refill their bottles too.”

Natalie Fee, Founder, City to Sea, said: “We’re really pleased that Network Rail are part of the Refill Revolution this National Refill Day. Their support makes it even easier for everyone to find free drinking water when travelling - meaning we can all save money and save the planet from plastic pollution in one go! People from all walks of life are carrying a reusable bottle now and with Network Rail installing water fountains, we’re rapidly doing away with the need to buy planet-polluting plastic bottled water.”

Since launching the water fountain initiative at London Charing Cross in February 2018, Network Rail has since expanded it to 19 of Britain’s largest railway stations, including Bristol Temple Meads, Birmingham New Street, Manchester Piccadilly and London King’s Cross.