Water dispensers available to passengers on UK trains in European first

A UK train operator is providing free onboard water dispensers in what is believed to be a first for Europe’s rail industry.

As part of a £450 million investment in its fleets – aimed at reducing the amount of onboard single-use plastics – Avanti West Coast said filtered water is now available across its Pendolino and Evero trains.

Passengers consumed 21,000 litres of water during a three-month trial on Pendolino trains, equivalent to 42,000 standard-sized 500ml plastic bottles.

Mark Smith, founder of international train travel website Seat61.com, told the PA news agency he was not aware of onboard facilities being provided by any other operator in Europe.

Bob Powell, head of inclusive customer experience at Avanti West Coast, said: “The water refill points are another example of how we are raising the bar for rail travel in the UK.

“The water refill points dispense Wenlock Spring from reusable bottles, which are returned to us for refilling time and time again.”

“With many people now carrying their own water bottle, the opportunity to refill them free of charge is part of our responsible business commitment to build a cleaner and greener railway and significantly reduce single-use plastic onboard our services.”

Water for the Pendolino refill points is provided by Shropshire-based company Wenlock Spring, which has sourced its water from a spring near the Wenlock Edge since 1086. Wenlock Spring is a member of the UK-based Water Dispenser & Hydration Association.

Wenlock Spring director Matthew Orme said: “We’re proud to have worked on the development of the onboard refill points with Avanti West Coast. The water refill points dispense Wenlock Spring from reusable bottles, which are returned to us for refilling time and time again.”