22 September 2025 •
To mark World Car Free Day (Monday 22 September), local rail operator c2c Railway and Southend United are encouraging fans to take the train and leave the car at home for the upcoming fixture at Roots Hall against Scunthorpe on Saturday 27 September.
By taking the train, the reduction in carbon emissions is significant, as demonstrated by Southend United midfielder, Leon Chambers-Parillon. Leon first joined Southend United in January 2025 and began travelling by train from Luton to Southend Central station to get to training and on home matchdays. Between January and June, this mileage added up, with the Midfielder saving circa 2,468 kg of CO2 by taking the train over the car.
World Car Free Day is an annual day held to encourage people around the world to take alternative transport other than the car to help reduce harmful emissions. So this World Car Free Day, everyone at c2c and Southend United is encouraging fans to take the train when attending the next game at Roots Hall this weekend against Scunthorpe and help cut back on damaging emissions.
For c2c customers, by choosing the train over a car for the journey to and from the game (from Fenchurch Street station to Southend Central), they will save approximately 23.5 kg of CO2 per passenger for a single journey – which totals a whopping estimated 3,050 kg of CO₂ over the course of a year, for an individual travelling five days per week.
c2c Managing Director, Rob Mullen, said:
“At c2c, our Net Zero Strategy is something that guides us in every decision we make. So, World Car Free Day is an important opportunity for us to work with Southend United to encourage match day fans to leave the car at home and take the train to the game this weekend.
“At c2c, we carry more than 37.3 million customers across southern Essex every year and understand the importance of doing our part in helping the UK reach Net Zero by 2050.
“To be able to celebrate the day with Leon and how he has become part of the local community, I think demonstrates the power of community and the impact that the railway has.”
Leon Chambers-Parillon, said:
“What I enjoy most about choosing the train to travel is the ease of it – it is a lot more comfortable than sitting in traffic every day, and also, consider the environmental impact and emissions you reduce by choosing to travel by train.
“This World Car Free Day, I encourage Southend fans and Essex residents to take the train. It’s a great way to travel together, discuss the game, and support local communities.”
A Southend United spokesperson said:
“Southend United is proud to support c2c with World Car Free Day this year and to encourage all of our fans to mark the occasion by taking the train to the game this weekend against Scunthorpe United to help reduce harmful carbon emissions.
“Together, we can all make a positive impact on the environment – just like Leon.”
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
About c2c
- c2c is the award-winning train operator running services between Fenchurch Street and Shoeburyness, serving 26 stations in East London and South Essex.
- c2c is one of the UK’s most punctual and popular train operators and nearly 37.3 million journeys are made on its services every year.
- The operation of all c2c services transferred into public ownership on Sunday 20 July 2025 and is managed by DFTO (DfT Operator Ltd).
- For more information email mediaenquiries@c2crail.net
Images
Featured Image: c2c/SUFC World Car Free Day 2025
Second Images: c2c colleagues at Roots Hall
Third Image: Southend United player, Leon Chambers-Parillon
Fourth Image: c2c Managing Director, Rob Mullen
Notes
Did you know that if every one of the 42.3 million driving license holders in Britain were to swap one return car journey with the average return rail journey, this would save 239,064 tonnes of CO2e, which is the equivalent of 3.25 million people recycling for a year – the population of Birmingham, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Bristol and Peterborough combined, according to statistics from the RDG (Rail Delivery Group).