Thursday 22 March 2018 1:58 pm

Network Rail’s rollout of free drinking water across London train stations has just started with Charing Cross

The first of Network Rail’s free water fountains has been set up at a London station as part of its efforts to slash the impact of plastic waste.

Today, Charing Cross was the first to get a water fountain, with plans for Victoria, London Bridge and Cannon Street to follow within a year.

Charing Cross is the country’s 15th busiest station with nearly 30m passengers last year, and serves south east London, Kent and parts of Sussex.

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Mark Carne, Network Rail’s chief executive, said:

We hope that by making this small change, we not only help quench the thirst of our station users, but also have a positive impact on the environment by reducing single-use plastics.

“As one of Britain’s biggest landowners, we are always looking for the best ways to positively change, protect and enhance Britain’s environment and it’s our ambition to reduce the waste that we send to landfill to as near as possible to zero,” he added.

The scheme starts with this trial installation of the new water fountain at Charing Cross, and that will then inform a full rollout of free drinking water facilities across all Network Rail’s managed stations.

Water fountains will be installed “where it is practical and feasible to do so”, Network Rail said. The free drinking water trial is aimed at encouraging station users to refill their own water bottles.

Network Rail said previously it is also looking at ways it can work with its station food and drink retail tenants to reduce plastic waste too, as one of the country’s largest retail landlords.

Carne with the fountain’s first user Sheila Pearce and environment minister Therese Coffey (Source: Network Rail)

Network Rail’s managed stations:

National stations

London stations

Birmingham New Street

Bristol Temple Meads

Edinburgh Waverley

Glasgow Central

Leeds

Liverpool Lime Street

Manchester Piccadilly

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