27 April 2007

The Kings Ferry makes passenger travel carbon neutral

The award-winning Kings Ferry Travel Group has become the first carbon neutral coach hire company in Europe. The company is working with Carbon Clear, leaders in carbon management for business, who will assist The Kings Ferry in offsetting their carbon emissions.

To celebrate this milestone, three Kings Ferry coaches now feature a thought-provoking environmental livery. “As well as being carbon neutral ourselves, three of our most advanced coaches are being used to promote carbon offsetting and subsequent neutrality,” explained Steve O’Neill, managing director of The Kings Ferry Travel Group. Alongside the three fully liveried vehicles, all 75 Kings Ferry coaches will carry smaller Carbon Clear branding.

“We are extremely proud that we have become the first international coach company to make such an important environmental stand and hope that our new coach design will prompt others to follow our lead, both in the transport sector and beyond. Our coaches are a frequent sight in and around central London and will provide a moving environmental billboard,” he said.

Through Carbon Clear, The Kings Ferry Travel Group has completed an initial assessment of its carbon footprint and has developed an ongoing programme to reduce all emissions. Initial work has already seen the company’s CO² engine emissions improve from Euro level 1 to Euro level 3 (see editor’s note 2) and it is anticipated that level 5 will be achieved within the next five years, further reducing The Kings Ferry’s emissions by 25%. It is also investing in Carbon Clear projects to improve living standards in developing countries and contributing to global climate initiatives including re-forestation schemes and energy efficiency.

With one of the newest and best maintained coach fleets in the country, The Kings Ferry already has one of the lowest levels of carbon emissions within the coach industry, but understands the importance of reducing its carbon footprint further still.

The Kings Ferry Travel Group was established 39 years ago and operates commuter services into central London and VIP hospitality vehicles, corporate and holiday charters as well as arranging coach hire throughout the world for a number of clients. The fleet consists of 75 coaches, from 16 seater mini-coaches to state-of-the-art VIP vehicles with lounge and kitchen facilities. Corporate clients include the BBC and Eurotunnel.

The Kings Ferry transports more than a million people a year and invests more than £2.5 million per annum on new vehicles to ensure that the fleet offers the very best in safety, comfort, technology and fuel efficiency.

”We transport 1,300 commuters a day in to central London on 38 coaches, potentially saving 1,300 car journeys every day,” explains Steve O’ Neill. “By ensuring a high level of occupancy, regular and efficient maintenance and continual investment in new vehicles, we already have a lower carbon footprint than most other operators. It is important that everyone in the transport industry strives to make a difference. We at The Kings Ferry are the first to make this very important step but hope we aren’t the last.”

The Kings Ferry recently won the ‘Best Corporate Hospitality’ award at the International Confex Awards 2007, beating 500 other entrants to this coveted prize. The judges were particularly impressed by the company’s fleet of VIP corporate hospitality vehicles, especially the new ‘Land Yachts’, with their luxurious interiors and high-tech specifications.

As part of its “Coach Connections” service, The Kings Ferry offers a fully managed travel service where corporate customers can commission a coach anywhere in the world knowing that the vehicle will meet the best quality, safety and environmental standards. Now that the company has carbon neutral status, all clients using this service can be assured that their transport decisions will not have a negative environmental impact as all future movements will be offset. This will be beneficial to all transport managers when calculating their company’s individual carbon footprint.