The British train operating company South Western Railway (SWR) has installed an air-purifying column at one of its stations as part of a trial program to make a healthier environment for travelers and staff.
The column has been developed by clean air technology firm Pluvo and is located on platform four at Salisbury station.
It will monitor and remove harmful pollutants from the air using its advanced air filtration technology to create a healthier and cleaner environment for customers.
The column contains a three-stage filtration process that removes harmful airborne particulate matter, often called PM2.5, targeted gases, and viruses.
It also has a built-in air quality monitoring system that provides data-driven insights.
In addition, it can also show travel and air quality information, as well as give travelers a chance to record their thoughts on the initiative, through a text-based chat function.
South Western Railway’s senior design and innovation manager, Dan Piner, said in an interview that the firm’s sustainability team had identified several air quality hotspots, including Salisbury railway station.
Air quality is a major problem at the station, Piner added, because a big number of diesel engines travel through Salisbury and can sit at the platforms for several minutes at a time. He said that Salisbury has a nearby car park and a train depot next door, which are also contributing factors.
Piner mentioned that South Western Railway looked at several different air quality technologies, but the Pluvo column stood out because the platforms at Salisbury are quite wide and can take such a large structure.
He also added that, If the six-month trial is successful, more Pluvo columns will be added at other stations as part of the company’s drive to improve the journey experience for all its customers.
Piner said, last week he was at Salisbury railway station, and he had spoken to some customers regarding it and they were extremely interested in what the column is doing. Some of our staff on the platform also asked questions and were very keen on it, as well. So far, it’s getting positive feedback, and we hope and wish that the feedback will continue in the future.
The partnership with Pluvo is just one of how SWR is improving every step of customers’ journeys.
Within the last five years, they have also installed more than 4,000 cycle spaces across its vast network and is encouraging sustainable tourism by allowing customers to travel by rail to a destination and then continue their journeys through bike and scooter hire.
It was also the first train operating company to publish a roadmap to net zero and to have its carbon emission reduction targets recognized by the Science Based Targets Initiative, a leading global climate body.
Piner also added that there are other initiatives that the sustainability team is working on, and this is part of a bigger approach but not a standalone project.
Ms. van Staden, SWR’s senior sustainability manager said that this partnership with Pluvo is very important to us as we investigate and trial new ways of improving our customers’ journeys.
South Western Railway said, in the South West, Salisbury is one of the busiest stations.
The column, on platform four, is interactive and includes a chat function to learn more about the station and give feedback on the new installation.
Pluvo CEO, Matteo Maccario, said the column was able to filter out soot, gases, and viruses. we’re pleased to be working with SWR to improve the air quality at one of the South West’s busiest stations.
Matteo said in a statement that the company is happy to be working with South Western Railway to improve the air quality.
Air pollution is the single biggest environmental threat to global health and the Pluvo column is a solution that can help to create a healthier and safer space for everyone. added Maccario.
