Our Sustainability Policy
Our Sustainability Statement
Great British Car Journey is committed to continually improving its environmental performance, negating its impact and working hard towards a more sustainable future.
Water Management
We have installed dual flush toilets to reduce water usage and monitor water usage on a monthly basis.
We provide bins for general waste as well as mixed recycling
Food & Beverage Management
Waste Management
We closely monitor our energy use and have reduced opening hours in winter to save heating and lighting.
We have installed LED lighting throughout the building with motion-sensitive lighting in appropriate areas as well as day light timers for external lighting.
We have installed low energy hand dryers.
Within the museum there is a glazed roof which reduces the need for electric lighting.
None of the museum exhibits require a power source.
Being located on the River Derwent, we are investigating the future use of hydro power within the business.
Energy Consumption
100% of paper, card, glass, cans and plastic waste is recycled.
Used cooking oil is recycled.
80%+ of single-use plastic has been eliminated. Replacing plastic bottled drinks for cans, in the Café has helped us to keep our environmental footprint smaller.
Soaps dispensed in bulk or recyclable/refillable containers.
Handheld audio visual devices have reduced the need for display boards for the exhibits around the attraction.
Our Great British Car Club newsletter is produced digitally and distributed to club members electronically.
GBCJ and the local community
We offer volunteer opportunities, with a team of 10 volunteers regularly supporting the museum’s work.
Our community outreach programme takes the museum to those that can’t visit.
Drive Dad’s Car regularly travels to other locations throughout Derbyshire, e.g. Chatsworth House, Peak Village Outlet, Matlock Farm Park, etc., to provide access for people to view the cars for free and speak with members of staff who can share their passion and knowledge of the fleet.
Preserving History
GBCJ embodies preservation. The concept of the museum was born out of the fact that the vast majority of old British cars have been scrapped and famous marques, like Morris and Austin have disappeared. We have been successful in saving/securing a number of locally and nationally significant vehicles, including a Paramount manufactured in Ilkeston, a Land Rover from the former Albert Looms scrapyard in Spondon, Lord Baden Powell’s Rolls Royce and HRH Princess Anne’s Reliant Scimitar. All these vehicles are on display.
Every vehicle in the museum and on the Drive Dad’s Car fleet is in working order, maintained by our own heritage apprentice mechanic who is learning the skills required to preserve heritage vehicles.
Visitors
We have a public Responsible Visitor Charter’ in which we encourage all visitors to follow an environmentally friendly approach while visiting Great British Car Journey. We don’t use paper guides in the attraction. Our visitors make use of our handheld audio tablet and headset which are refreshed and prepared for the next visitor. We want to share our joy for preserving and cherishing our nation’s motoring history without negatively impacting the environment. We ask visitors to book their tickets online prior to their visit, negating the need for a paper ticket.
Transport
We encourage visitors to travel to us by an alternative, more environmentally friendly way e.g. train, cycle, bus. All accessible to the Museum. To support this, we offer £2 off entry with a valid train ticket, bus ticket or bike helmet. Discover more here Good Journey – Getting to Great British Car Journey Car-free
We work closely with Toyota to promote greener motoring. As a global manufacturer, its entire range is focussed on providing mobility for all, whilst driving down emissions. Its stateof-the-art facility based in Burnaston, Derbyshire provides a full range of services from 3 manufacturing, customisation, refurbishment through to EoL parts reuse and recycling creating a complete Circular Economy.
Within the exhibition, chapter 9.5 introduces the future of motoring and alternative power sources. We have a hybrid car in our display and also provide the opportunity for people to drive a hydrogen-powered Toyota Mirai in order to experience alternatively fuelled vehicle. We have the only privately owned hydrogen powered car in Derbyshire “Fortunately, and rather belatedly, society have recognised that we cannot continue to abuse our planet.
The next chapter in Britain’s motoring history has to be that of greener motoring, whether that is hydrogen, electric or something else. Chapter 10 of the museum will tell that story when we are confident what it is.” Richard Usher, Founder of Great British Car Journey We have partnered with PeakePedals which runs guided electric bike tours around the Derbyshire countryside. Harnessing the power of electricity allows for a wider range of ages and abilities to enjoy the natural environment of the Peak District.
In the spirit of re-use, recycle and upcycle, the majority of our employees drive classic cars. It is estimated that a car needs to travel 100,000 miles just to offset the carbon footprint gained during its production. By saving cars from being scrapped and prolonging their life span by during them daily, being on display in the museum and used in the Drive Dad’s Car fleet we are helping to offset their carbon production
