Press release -
Rail staff clean-up shows Brighton beach at sharp end for safety and the environment
Litter-busting rail staff from Southern and Thameslink joined forces to blitz a stretch of Brighton’s beach in this year’s Great British Beach Clean.
Focusing on a 100m section in front of the iconic bandstand, the volunteers found 2kg of waste, mostly plastic but also, worryingly, broken glass and fish hooks.
Scoured: Rail staff from Southern and Thameslink search a section of Brighton beach for litter
Eloise Rowan, Environmental Specialist at Govia Thameslink Railway which runs the two train firms, said: “Many of our stations are in locations with beautiful beaches, and it’s really important we support our communities to help keep them looking that way.
“We were surprised how little rubbish there was on the beach, which was a good thing, but what we did find was worrying.
“Sharp shards of beer bottle glass were hidden just beneath the surface which could have sliced through someone’s foot and the fish hooks had nasty barbs.
“A lot of the waste was also plastic which is catastrophic to wildlife. Not only is it unsightly, but the plastic breaks down into smaller pieces and enters the food chain which affects everything – including us humans.”
The 10-day national beach clean is organised by the Marine Conservation Society which asks participants to carefully catalogue what they find on a 100m stretch. This scientific approach gives the charity an invaluable insight into what is polluting the sea, enabling it to campaign for positive change to protect the ocean.
The Marine Conservation Society has used this to help implement plastic bag charges, better wet wipe labelling, and support a tax on single-use plastic items.
Lizzie Price, Beachwatch Manager at the Marine Conservation Society, said: “The success of the Great British Beach Clean relies on the dedication of our volunteers, and we’re hugely thankful to have Govia Thameslink staff joining the effort in collecting and recording litter from our beaches. The data gathered during our beach cleans is crucial in helping tackle pollution at its source, protecting us and wildlife.”
ENDS
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Govia Thameslink Railway
Govia Thameslink Railway (GTR) operates Thameslink, Great Northern, Southern and Gatwick Express services as follows:
- Thameslink – cross-London services between Bedford/Peterborough/Cambridge and Brighton/Horsham/East Grinstead, and between Luton/St Albans and Sutton/Wimbledon/Rainham; plus services between London and Sevenoaks
- Great Northern – services between London and Welwyn, Hertford, Peterborough, Cambridge and King’s Lynn
- Southern – services between London and the Sussex coast (Brighton, Worthing, Eastbourne, Bognor Regis, Hastings) and parts of Surrey, Kent and Hampshire (Ashford International, Southampton, Portsmouth)
- Gatwick Express – fast, non-stop direct services between Gatwick Airport and London Victoria
www.southernrailway.com, www.thameslinkrailway.com, www.gatwickexpress.com, www.greatnorthernrail.com
