Free water refill points have been introduced on Avanti West Coast trains.

The points, which are a first for the rail industry, form part of a wider £450 million investment in the company's fleet.

They have been installed on all Pendolino and Evero trains, which operate from Warrington Bank Quay station.

The easy-to-use dispensers are located in the onboard shop and provide complimentary water to passengers, helping to reduce single-use plastic.

Bob Powell, head of inclusive customer experience at Avanti West Coast, said: "The water refill points are another example of how we are raising the bar for rail travel in the UK.

"With many people now carrying their own water bottle, the opportunity to refill them free of charge, is part of our responsible business commitment to build a cleaner and greener railway, and significantly reduce single-use plastic onboard our services."

The dispensers are located in the online shop (Image: Avanti West Coast) During pre-launch testing, passengers on the Pendolino fleet consumed more than 21,000 litres of water in three months, equivalent to 42,000 standard-sized 500ml plastic bottles.

The water for the Pendolino refill stations is supplied by Wenlock Spring, a family business based in Shropshire.

The water is sourced from a protected spring dating back to 1086, located near Wenlock Edge.

Matthew Orme, director at Wenlock Spring, said: "We’re proud to have worked on the development of the onboard refill points with Avanti West Coast.

"The water refill points dispense Wenlock Spring from reusable bottles, which are returned to us for refilling time and time again."

The company hopes this initiative will encourage more people to travel with their own refillable water bottles, further reducing the environmental impact of rail travel.

The new water refill points have already been well received by passengers during the trial period.