Bristol is the first UK city to be awarded Green Capital status, which over the year, will showcase the city as a sustainable place to live in as they hope to inspire other cities.
As the leading public transport operator in Bristol, FirstGroup is proud to be involved in Bristol European Green Capital 2015 as an official partner.
“Bristol has always had a reputation for setting the public transport agenda, and I’m delighted we can continue that tradition through our partnership with Bristol 2015,” says Tim O’Toole, FirstGroup’s chief executive.
“We will work to make Bristol a test-bed for sustainable transport innovation that brings together FirstGroup's unique mix of global expertise and local knowledge with the city's commitment to find sustainable solutions to the challenges of the increasingly congested world in which we live.”
FirstGroup is the leading bus operator in the city, and runs First Great Western, the rail franchise linking Bristol to London and other parts of the south west and South Wales.
As such, we’re investing in Bristol’s transport network, and tackling congestion with smarter, more integrated travel options. FirstGroup is the leading transport operator in the UK and North America, so we have plenty of experience in providing innovative and efficient local transport solutions required to meet the ever growing challenge of congestion, keeping people moving and communities prospering.
So this will mean building on our work to better integrate bus and rail timetables, improve travel information at key interchanges and build partnerships with travel agents, Bristol airport and airlines to boost this region as a tourist destination.
At the heart of FirstGroup’s involvement is a recognition that getting public transport right is essential to seeing a cleaner, greener future for Bristol and for the UK. We’re reducing carbon emissions and local air emissions by encouraging people to make greener journeys – with our low carbon buses and trains, and by promoting walking, cycling, or using car clubs.
We’re working closely with local stakeholders to drive more sustainable mobility habits and encourage more sustainable urban living.
Whether it’s investing in sustainable technologies at First Great Western’s St Philips Marsh train depot or using innovative driver technology and techniques to improve fuel efficiency and cut emissions, we’re committed to making Bristol a truly sustainable place to live.
Over the course of the year First West of England will be putting 39 brand new buses into service in Bristol during the year. These will be the cleanest diesel vehicles yet seen in the city, meeting the latest Euro VI emissions specification.
But we want to go further. That’s why we’re pleased to be able to announce that we plan to experiment with the use of a bio-methane powered bus, putting Bristol at the forefront of harnessing ground-breaking green technology in public transport.
And obviously, as a major employer in Bristol and the wider region, First wants to support local economic growth and social wellbeing. As well as the essential task of keeping people moving, we’ll support entrepreneurs through, for example, providing spaces for local ‘pop-up’ companies to rent. And we’ll invest in young people by setting up a partnership between First Great Western, First West of England and schools in Bristol.
