Go North East Passengers' One Million Tree Milestone

Go North East, the region’s leading bus company, has announced on National Clean Air Day (20 June) that its customers collectively save CO₂ emissions equivalent to planting over one million trees every year by choosing the bus over the car.

Passengers take over 48 million trips a year with Go North East. Based on detailed calculations, these trips will amass a carbon saving to match a 1,500-mile line of trees stretching from Newcastle to Rome.

Ben Maxfield, Business Director for Go North East, said: “It’s truly remarkable to reflect on the environmental impact of bus services. By choosing to travel by bus, our customers have collectively saved the same amount of CO2 that it would take over a million trees to absorb.”

Ben continued: “We wanted to showcase just how much carbon our fabulous customers have saved, so we ventured into the beautiful Kielder Forest in Northumberland to celebrate their amazing achievement. It’s not just about numbers; it’s about real, tangible change in our environment.”

Taking the bus is one of the easiest and most affordable ways of saving carbon in transport. At Go North East, we’re making bus travel cheaper than ever. Bus fares have been reduced to just £1 for those aged 21 and under, capped at £2 for adults, and those with concessionary travel passes ride for free. As a result, the number of people catching the bus is rising all the time, and many of our routes are now operating more frequently.

Ben added, “This is all thanks to collaboration with The North East Combined Authority, Nexus, Durham and Northumberland Councils, and the Department for Transport. As partners, we are working together to boost bus use through a government-funded Bus Service Improvement Plan (BSIP). Together, we’re planting the seeds for a greener future.”

FACT CHECK

1. Switching 48 million bus trips of 5.5 miles each on a Go-Ahead bus to individual car trips could generate an extra 18,565,858 kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions according to work commissioned by Go-Ahead.
2. Approximately 1,237,724 trees would be needed to absorb 18.6 million kilograms of carbon dioxide emissions based on an average carbon dioxide absorption rate per UK tree of 15 kilograms per year.
3. A line of 1,237,724 trees would stretch 2,475 kilometres long or 1,538 miles. This assumes a common spacing of about 2 metres between each tree, which is a reasonable estimate for forestry purposes.
4. The distance from Newcastle to Rome is approximately 1,500 miles.

NOTE TO EDITORS

Go North East runs a network of bus routes across the North East region including Newcastle, Sunderland, Durham, and surrounding areas.

The Go-Ahead Group is one of the UK’s leading providers of public transport, enabling more than a billion passenger journeys each year on its bus and rail services. Go-Ahead places great importance on partnership, adopting a collaborative approach with governments, local communities and strategic partners; developing and operating services that create long-term value for all.

For more information about Go-Ahead Group visit www.go-ahead.com.

Press and media contacts:

Ben Maxfield

Business Director, Go North East

ben.maxfield@gonortheast.co.uk

Telephone: 07890 436531