USA: Philadelphia transport agency SEPTA has published a Sustainability Playbook setting out its latest seven-year vision to embed environmental, social and economic best practices within its operations.
Plans include:
- transitioning revenue and non-revenue vehicles to zero emissions, and right-sizing the non-revenue fleet vehicles for efficiency
- developing a Climate Resiliency & Adaptation Playbook to identify systems susceptible to the effects of climate change and measures to mitigate risks;
- developing a Stormwater Master Plan to address environmental protection, water quality, flood prevention, erosion control and resilience to climate change;
- removing single use plastics from procurement;
- expanding the Transit Oriented Communities programme to establish three TOCs on SEPTA-owned property;
- increasing the Small Business Enterprise programme providing ‘meaningful’ contract opportunities to small businesses from $3 000 to $25 000.
The vision builds on SEPTA’s previous multi-year plans.
‘Public transportation is inherently sustainable as it reduces the number drivers of single occupancy vehicles, which reduces emissions, alleviates congestion and prevents environmental degradation’, said SEPTA’s Chief Innovation Officer Emily Yates on April 22. ‘This third-generation sustainability plan reinforces our commitment to a sustainable future.’
