How Manchester’s history of public transport is helping to reduce carbon emissions
SSE ENERGY SOLUTIONS, GO-AHEAD AND THE MUSEUM OF TRANSPORT, GREATER MANCHESTER RECENTLY TEAMED UP TO BRING THE ROAD TO RENEWABLES BUS TOUR TO THE CITY CENTRE
FOR hundreds of years, Manchester has been a place of efficiency.
And many of the city’s great achievements and inventions have been centred around public transport getting people where they need to be in order to work, socialise and continue to innovate.
As well as being home to the first purpose-built canal in 1761, Manchester was also home to the first ever bus service in the UK which began in 1824, as well as the first public passenger carrying railway a few years later in 1830.
With such a rich and interesting history of public transport, it only seemed right for the SSE Energy Solutions nationwide tour to make a stop in the city and celebrate years of innovation.
The Museum of Transport, Greater Manchester welcomed an electric double-decker bus on October 25 as part of the tour of local energy projects as it makes its way up to Glasgow for COP26..
Manchester marked the halfway point in the ‘Road to Renewables’ tour, which visited key sites across Britain where SSE projects focused on innovation and collaboration are joining the fight to tackle climate change and reduce emissions.
Nathan Sanders, managing director at SSE Energy Solutions, said: “Unless we all reduce carbon emissions now, we will leave future generations facing an uncertain future. It’s clear that as we head toward net zero, we are changing the way we live our lives.”
“As one of the biggest polluters, transport must be decarbonised if we’re to achieve our net zero objectives. Working closely with our partners in Greater Manchester and the GMCA, we at SSE Energy Solutions are committed to supporting the region to meet its clean energy goals and to join us in driving the electric vehicle revolution.”
A VITAL ROLE
We need it to get around in everyday life, but how much of an environmental impact does the transport sector have?
The answer is, unfortunately, a huge impact. This sector accounts for 22% of all carbon emissions worldwide, which is more than any other sector such as agriculture or fast fashion.
And, out of this, a huge 55% of these emissions come from cars alone.
However, the good news is that public transport, although it comes under the same category, has much less of an impact on our planet.
Only 3% come from buses, and from trains it’s just 1%.
So, although taking public transport wherever possible can greatly reduce our carbon footprint, it’s up to local authorities to ensure that these transport networks are decarbonised, to minimise air pollution and improve the air quality.
SSE and the journey to net zero
Ever since SSE began as the Hydro Electric board 80 years ago, bringing power and light to many of the Scottish Highlands communities for the first time, it has always had a focus on green energy.
It also has origins in the former Southern Electricity Board, and the SSE we all know today is a combination of these two public sector electricity authorities, both of which were privatised in the 1990s.
Fast forward to now, and the company continues to play a vital role in reducing carbon emissions all over the UK.
SSE has the largest offshore wind pipeline across the UK and Ireland, and is currently leading the construction of more offshore wind than any company in the world.
Aiming for net zero by 2050, which means taking out as much climatechanging gases out of the atmosphere as it’s producing, it’s no surprise that SSE is a principal partner of COP26 in Glasgow - the ‘last best chance’ to solve the climate crisis.
Find out more about SSE’s solutions for a net zero future here. www.sseenergysolutions.co.uk
MANCHESTER’S IMPACT
The ‘Road to Renewables’ tour, which kicked off in London’s Northumberland Park electric bus depot on October 18, aims to celebrate the different regions of the UK that are playing a part in reducing carbon emissions.
And in Manchester, there are a number of plans in place to do just that.
The goal is to reduce carbon emissions from the city’s buildings, energy use and transport by 50% by 2025.
To try and combat the environmental impact caused by the transport sector, it’s also hoped that 90% of journeys into the city centre will be completed via walking, cycling or public transport by 2040.
Reaching this goal will involve improving public transport facilities in and around the city, and making it a safer place to walk and cycle.
Nathan Sanders added: “Our ‘Road to Renewables’ tour is visiting Manchester because the region has a long-standing reputation for revolutionising transport technologies, and so is well-placed to embrace the electric bus as the future of public transport.”
With Manchester’s ultimate goal of reaching net zero by 2038, reducing transport emissions will be crucial in reaching this target.
ABOUT THE TOUR
The fully electric double-decker bus that has been making its way across Britain will end its journey in Glasgow’s Caledonia bus depot on Friday, October 29 - just in time for COP26.
Built in Britain by bus manufacturer Alexander Dennis and BYD, the bus stopped off in Sharston in Greater Manchester before it headed into the city centre, where it pulled up alongside lorries and vans to highlight the prospect of shared charging sites across the UK.
These sites would allow any commercial vehicle to charge up, supporting local businesses to decarbonise their fleet.
SSE is a principal partner of COP26, and alongside the Go-Ahead Group, Alexander Dennis, BYD and SWARCO Smart Charging, the energy group has been using the COP26 branded bus to showcase examples of the national effort already underway to decarbonise.
And, with examples in places such as Oxfordshire, Suffolk, Newcastle and North Berwick, it proves that the UK is putting in a solid effort to help tackle climate change.
To track the bus’s journey, follow SSE Energy Solutions on Twitter or search the hashtag #RoadtoRenewables.