The main natural resources managed by FirstGroup in the use of its properties are energy and water. Energy is used in the depots and offices for heating and lighting facilities.
Water is used for a number of purposes, most significantly bus washing.
In relation to water usage, FirstGroup has been seeking to reduce water usage through partial or total water recycling facilities. Although total recycling theoretically sounds as though it would be the most water saving option, experiments at our Huddersfield depot have shown that due to the intensity with which our washing facilities are used, the full recycling systems cannot always replenish water in the time needed, and water is subsequently drawn from the mains. It is therefore our current policy to install partial water recycling facilities at new depots and where facilities need replacing, as these use the least water given the nature of the operation. We have started to collate baseline data on water and energy usage at the UK bus depots. This year we aim to establish the quality of this data for reporting in our next environmental report.