Network Rail has announced that passengers who use some of the UK’s largest railway stations will soon be able to benefit from the introduction of free drinking water facilities.

The free drinking water initiative, which also seeks to encourage passengers to refill their own bottle, is part of Network Rail‘s ambition to reduce plastic waste at their stations.

The scheme will begin with a trial installation at London Charing Cross station by the end of March. Learnings from the trial will help with a full rollout of free drinking water facilities across Network Rail managed stations later this year.

Network Rail has been encouraged by the some of the other retailers who have already taken steps to reduce their plastic. They want to work with them to have even more of an impact.

This could include providing free drinking water to complement facilities on the station concourse or encouraging them to make simple changes to the materials using in their packaging.

What did the officials from Network Rail say?

David Biggs, Network Rail’s managing director of the property said: “At Network Rail we put station users at the heart of everything we do and our managed stations are carefully designed to ensure that people can enjoy a great experience – whether they’re travelling, shopping, dining or socialising.

“By introducing free water fountains at our managed stations we can make a simple change that not only helps quench the thirst of station users but also has a positive impact on our sustainability ambitions by reducing single-use plastics.

“We’re looking forward to the introduction of these water fountains and the benefits they will bring the public and the environment.”

• Visit the Network Rail website
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