Sustainability

Wildflower verges are simply road verges with a different maintenance regime aimed at increasing biodiversity. 

We want to help existing wildflowers in our grass verges to grow and produce new flowers - this will supply nectar and other food resources, plus shelter for wildlife including bees, butterflies, birds and small mammals.

To encourage wildflowers, we've changed the number of times we cut the grass in wildflower verge areas to twice a year, in spring and autumn. This allows wildflowers to grow. We also remove grass cuttings from the full width of the verge. Removing grass cuttings helps wildflowers by reducing soil nutrient levels gradually. This gives them a chance to outcompete the grasses that normally dominate when soil nutrient levels are high.

Since 2019, we've expanded our wildflower verges by 7.4 hectares to almost 13 hectares. and will increase this to 26 hectares in 2024. We also work with boroughs and others to share knowledge on different ways of managing wildflower verges.

Our work to become a more sustainable organisation includes improving our knowledge about how to reduce our carbon consumption and emissions. This is done through peer-led, accredited training. 
Thousands of people at TfL and Places for London have completed a dedicated Carbon Literacy training to improve our understanding of how we can all play our part to make our organisation, city and planet more green and sustainable. In 2024 the Carbon Literacy Project named TfL a Bronze Carbon Literate Organisation and gave us a Catalyst Award for our level of ambition and achievement as part of the Carbon Literacy Action Day during COP28. We're one of only 3 organisations globally to receive this award.