Merseyrail has announced that it will stop automatically printing receipts for customers in a bid to cut down on waste – saving up to 600km of paper each year.
Beginning this month (May), ticket offices will no longer print out lengthy receipts for customers as the rail operator, which has won multiple awards for its environmental and sustainability initiatives, continues its commitment to being more environmentally friendly.
Customers who need a receipt will still be able to get one by asking the ticket office staff.
By World Environment Day on 5 June, ticket offices across the network will be receipt-free, however automatic ticket vending machines will still provide them, and staff will issue receipts when requested by a passenger.
Each year Merseyrail uses 12,000 rolls of till receipts – enough to stretch from Liverpool to Paris – and most of these are not wanted by the customer and are discarded.
These changes are part of an ongoing commitment to reducing waste and increasing sustainability at Merseyrail, as multiple initiatives are taking place across the network.
A ‘Carbon Cup’ competition has encouraged staff to save energy across the network in a bid for their station to be crowned Carbon Cup Champion, resulting in huge energy savings.
LED lights have been introduced in several stations across the region, saving energy in areas of higher consumption.
Speaking of the removal of receipts, Head of Sustainability at Merseyrail Cath Johnston said: “As part of our vision to deliver a world-class railway, we are committed to providing an affordable, greener and connected transport system.
“This latest move to remove automatically printed receipts contributes towards reducing our carbon footprint, and helping our passengers to be more environmentally conscious also.
“Passengers have been letting us know that they often buy the same ticket each day and don’t need a receipt, which they immediately put in the bin, so we knew we needed to act on this.”
“Being ‘green’ is an integral part of our business, and we are always looking at ways that we can protect the environment that we operate in.”