Arriva UK Trains selected National Champion and will represent UK in the prestigious 2013/2014 European Business Awards (EBAs)

12-8-2013 — /EuropaWire/ — Arriva UK Trains has been selected as a National Champion and will represent the UK in the prestigious 2013/2014 European Business Awards (EBAs).

The business, which is responsible for overseeing Arriva group’s eight UK rail businesses*, beat off competition from more than 170 other UK companies to be selected as a National Champion in the Millicom Award for Environmental and Corporate Sustainability.

Arriva UK Trains is the only passenger transport company – and one of 51 UK organisations – that will represent the UK in the awards and compete for Ruban d’Honneur status in the next round of the competition.

The EBAs are dedicated to raising the visibility and progress of companies who excel in delivering innovation and successful commercial results.

Arriva UK Trains was selected to move forward in the competition in recognition of its commitment to:

• promoting public transport and encouraging more people to switch from car to train,
• enhancing social and economic opportunities for people in UK cities including Cardiff, Birmingham and London by improving services, increasing capacity and opening new transport links, and
• reducing the environmental impact of its operations.

Examples of success across Arriva’s UK rail operations include:

• working with industry partners to extend the London Overground network increasing passengers numbers by 50 per cent and creating an orbital network that has helped bring 125,000 new job opportunities within a 60 minute journey time,
• introducing eco-driving technology and progressive driver techniques at Arriva Trains Wales, CrossCountry and Tyne and Wear Metro. At CrossCountry this approach has helped deliver a 23 per cent reduction in fuel usage on the company’s Voyager fleet,
• making Chiltern Railways the UK’s first operator to provide commuters using electric cars with free parking and electricity charging points at nine of its major stations,
• harvesting over 2.16 million litres of rain water at Arriva Trains Wales’ Canton Depot for train toilets instead of using potable water and introducing train carriage wash facilities which use recycled water reducing mains water consumption by 75 per cent,
• introducing the award-winning ‘Adopt a Station’ initiative with some 180 UK stations involving local communities in improving facilities and feeding back on ideas for local improvements,
• growing passenger numbers at Arriva Trains Wales by using innovative train planning to deliver some 465,000 extra seats annually from the limited number of trains allocated to the franchise by government, and
• operating successful recycling schemes at Tyne and Wear Metro and Chiltern Railways. At London Marylebone station Chiltern recycles litter such as coffee cups. Some 98 per cent of the waste collected contributes to providing power for 48,000 homes in London. The remaining 2 per cent is used for road grit.

Steve Murphy, chief operating officer at Arriva UK Trains, said: “The EBAs engage with thousands of companies in more than 30 countries, so to be selected as a National Champion to represent the UK is a fantastic achievement for our employees who are the driving force behind our rail operations.

“For Arriva sustainability is central to the way we do business every day. It encompasses everything from focusing on the successful management of our social and environmental impact to ensuring long-term economic performance so our businesses thrive. We do this by focusing on the needs of our customers and stakeholders and delivering quality services that help make Arriva a travel partner of choice.”

Adrian Tripp, CEO of the European Business Awards, said: “Over the past seven years we have received an incredibly high standard of entries from organisations that are passionate about their business. However, very few get the chance to fly the flag for their country and compete across Europe to be recognised as one of Europe’s finest. It really is an exceptional accolade and we look forward to seeing Arriva UK Trains in the next round.”

As part of the next stage, Arriva will produce a video entry which will be viewed by the competition’s judges. In addition, it will be made available to the public who can vote online for their favourite National Champion from each country, these companies become ‘National Public Champions’ and one will go on to become ‘European Public Champion’. Voting will begin in November 2013.

Final EBA category award winners will be announced in April 2014. To find out more about the awards and different categories visit www.businessawardseurope.com

Notes to editor:

• *In the UK, Arriva UK Trains operates eight rail businesses – Arriva Trains Wales, Chiltern Railways, CrossCountry, Grand Central, Tyne and Wear Metro and joint venture LOROL. It has leading rail maintenance business LNWR and its Alliance Rail company explores opportunities for open access passenger rail services in the UK.
• Arriva UK Trains is part of the Arriva group – one of the largest providers of passenger transport in Europe with 55,900 employees operating in 15 countries.
• Arriva is part of Deutsche Bahn, one of the world’s leading passenger transport and logistics service providers. Headquartered in Sunderland, UK, Arriva is responsible for Deutsche Bahn’s passenger transport services outside Germany.

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Arriva UK Trains selected National Champion and will represent UK in the prestigious 2013 2014 European Business Awards (EBAs)