Walking and cycling are the most environmentally friendly ways to get around. They're good for your health, and produce no harmful pollution.
But if you can't make your journey by foot or by bike, what's the best way to travel to minimise the impact on the environment?
How is transport pollution measured?
Pollution is measured in grams of carbon dioxide produced for every passenger kilometre travelled: usually called 'carbon emissions'.
If four people travel together in one car, there are fewer emissions per passenger kilometre than if they went alone in four separate cars.
In the same way, buses and trams that are full of passengers are indirectly less harmful to the environment than ones carrying just a few people because passengers in the full bus or tram are not using other transport and adding to pollution levels.
Transport and carbon emissions
Public transport is more efficient and environmentally-friendly than cars, motorbikes and most other ways to get around:
- Walking and cycling produce no grams of carbon emissions per passenger kilometre
- Trains produce 44 grams
- Metrolink trams produce 54 grams
- Buses produce 99 grams
- Motorbikes produce 117 grams
- Cars produce 123 grams
- Black cab taxis produce 218 grams
- Planes produce 221 grams
Lowering Metrolink emissions
We expect to see more people switching to Metrolink from cars and buses as new routes bring trams to more areas. The more people that use the trams, the more the overall emissions figure will come down because the system is operating more efficiently.
And as more people use the trams instead of environmentally-unfriendly alternatives, the overall pollution levels in Greater Manchester will come down.
Metrolink's cleaner, greener energy
The Metrolink system can achieve low pollution levels because the trams are powered by electricity produced from modern, cleaner, greener sources – around 70% of a tram’s power comes from wind or solar / photovoltaic sources as does the power on stop.
The rest is from other environmentally friendly sources like recycling waste, water power and wind.
Metrolink is friendly to the environment in many other ways too, for example:
- Trams produce no exhaust fumes at all
- Trams cause almost no noise, except when they sound a horn to warn pedestrians and traffic
- Trams have steel wheels, not rubber tyres: steel wheels are much more efficient, and when they're finally worn out, the steel is recycled with much less impact on the environment than getting rid of old rubber tyres.
Find out more
For more about transport and the environment see cleanairgm.com
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Learn more about getting to Co-op Live
Travel included with Co-op Live tickets
Co-op Live ticket holders can travel on the tram and new city centre shuttle buses.
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Learn more about the Bee Network
Say yellow to the Bee Network
Buses in Oldham, Rochdale and parts of Bury, Salford and north Manchester joined the Bee Network on 24 March.
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Learn more about new Starling Bank Bikes
New sponsor: Starling Bank Bikes
We’re delighted to welcome Starling Bank on board as the new sponsors of our bike hire scheme.
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Find full details of the bus routes, ticket fares and timetables
Manchester City Matchday Buses
We've teamed up with Manchester City to launch a large-scale bus trial helping fans from across Greater Manchester and nearby areas to travel to and from the Etihad Stadium on a matchday.
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Rate your journey
Rate your journey
We want to hear your views to help us deliver a better Bee Network for Greater Manchester.
-
Find out about planned works on the tram
Planned engineering works on Metrolink
Visit our dedicated webpage to find out how the works could affect your journeys.
-
Learn more about getting to Co-op Live
Travel included with Co-op Live tickets
Co-op Live ticket holders can travel on the tram and new city centre shuttle buses.
-
Learn more about new Starling Bank Bikes
New sponsor: Starling Bank Bikes
We’re delighted to welcome Starling Bank on board as the new sponsors of our bike hire scheme.
-
Rate your journey
Rate your journey
We want to hear your views to help us deliver a better Bee Network for Greater Manchester.
-
Learn more about the Bee Network
Say yellow to the Bee Network
Buses in Oldham, Rochdale and parts of Bury, Salford and north Manchester joined the Bee Network on 24 March.
-
Find full details of the bus routes, ticket fares and timetables
Manchester City Matchday Buses
We've teamed up with Manchester City to launch a large-scale bus trial helping fans from across Greater Manchester and nearby areas to travel to and from the Etihad Stadium on a matchday.
-
Find out about planned works on the tram
Planned engineering works on Metrolink
Visit our dedicated webpage to find out how the works could affect your journeys.