Innovation Awards 2024 - Credit Modern Railways on use

Chiltern Railways wins two Railway Innovation Awards for groundbreaking projects

Chiltern Railways has scooped two awards at the 2024 Railway Innovation Awards.

The operator won the Environment and Sustainability award for being the first passenger train operator in the country to use recycled vegetable oil to fuel its trains. Chiltern switched to using recycled vegetable oil to fuel its locomotives, which haul the iconic 'silver sets' that carry customers on the Chiltern main line between London Marylebone to Stourbridge.

In addition, after also being nominated in the People, Skills and Diversity award for the CGA Empathy Lab, Chiltern then went on to win this award alongside CrossCountry and CGA Experience. The lab tests the power of empathy training and by using immersive content, provides colleagues with skills they can use in conflict and emotional situations to enhance the customer experience.

Richard Allan, Managing Director of Chiltern Railways, said:

“The use of recycled vegetable oil and the Empathy Lab concept are two groundbreaking projects that are early evidence of delivering on our vison to make Chiltern easier, greener and better for colleagues and customers.

"We are determined to make the railway better for customers and a better place to work for colleagues."

Chiltern was presented with the awards at Marriott Grosvenor Square in London on Friday 21 June.

Contact Information

Liam Bolland

07967 884343

liam.bolland@chilternrailways.co.uk

Notes to editors

  • Chiltern Railways is part of the Arriva group, one of the leading providers of passenger transport in Europe,  employing around 34,400 people and delivering around 1.6 billion passenger journeys across 11 countries. 
  • Chiltern operates commuter/regional rail passenger services from its Central London terminus at London Marylebone along the M40 corridor to destinations in Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Warwickshire, as well as long-distance services to the West Midlands along two routes. Services on the Chiltern Main Line run from London Marylebone to Birmingham Snow Hill, Stratford-upon-Avon and Oxford, with some peak-hour services to Stourbridge Junction.
  • Chiltern also runs trains on the London to Aylesbury Line to Aylesbury (with some trains terminating at Aylesbury Vale Parkway instead), on the Princes Risborough to Aylesbury and Oxford to Bicester branch lines.