Customers travelling on Lumo’s East Coast route through the North East were thanked for making a greener travel choice, with thousands of wildflower seeds given away to mark World Car Free Day yesterday (Tuesday 22 September 2026).
Lumo surprised customers on selected services with special packets of wildflower seeds; a small gift designed to grow into a lasting reminder of the difference more sustainable travel choices can make.
The initiative marked World Car Free Day and celebrated the contribution customers make every time they choose to travel by rail rather than road or air.
Mike Roberts, Partnerships Manager at Lumo, said: “Every time someone chooses the train instead of taking the car, they’re making a decision that can help leave a lighter footprint. World Car Free Day felt like the perfect opportunity for us simply to say thank you.
“We hope people will take their seeds home, plant them and enjoy watching them grow. We won’t see the flowers today, but that’s rather the point – they’re a small reminder that the choices we make now can make a difference to the future.”
An average journey by train produces nearly five times less carbon emissions than making the equivalent journey by car. Choosing rail also helps reduce the number of cars on Britain’s roads, easing congestion while supporting a more sustainable way to travel.
Independent research commissioned by the Rail Delivery Group found that travelling by rail produces 85% less CO₂ per passenger than the equivalent domestic flight.
Across the routes studied, that means an average saving of 102 kg CO₂e per journey when passengers choose the train. That’s the equivalent of boiling over 20,000 cups of water.
The activity comes as Lumo continues to establish its new West Coast services between London Euston and Stirling, connecting communities including Crewe, Preston and Carlisle.
Lumo has placed sustainability at the heart of its approach to rail travel, encouraging more people to choose the train while working with organisations and communities along the routes it serves.
The World Car Free Day giveaway continues that approach by putting something tangible into customers’ hands – with the potential to leave a greener footprint long after their journey has ended.