Costain’s green road

24 October 2023

Costain has won a prestigious Green Apple Environment Award for significantly reducing the carbon footprint of works it has undertaken on the M6 motorway.

The Costain Smart Motorways Alliance project between junction 21a north of Warrington and junction 26 near Wigan reduced the carbon footprint of both construction plant and vans, cutting emissions by 38 per cent.

Emissions from vehicles idling on site was reduced from 56 per cent to 18 per cent between the start of 2022 and June 2023, by using enhanced idling sensors and through behavioural training. Site vans were fitted with trackers and between February and June 2023, this reduced van idling by around 25 per cent, with associated carbon emissions and costs falling, on average, by 35kg and £4.19 per driver.

Switching from diesel fuel to hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) in February 2022 reduced carbon emissions by 679 tonnes of CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent taking account of different greenhouse gases), which equates to the CO2 that 27,000 trees would absorb in one year.

Catherine Warbrick, Costain’s executive lead on sustainability said: "I’m really proud of the work the team has done on the M6, and the amazing results they have achieved. Costain aims to be a force for change and to safeguard the future of our planet for generations to come.”

The Green Apple Environment Awards were established in 1994 as an annual campaign to recognise best practice.