Those of us who hoped that DfT’s release of its Transport Decarbonisation Plan (TDP) would unlock wider action across the sector have been rewarded for our optimism with the publication of Highways England’s Plan for Net Zero Highways. But what should we make of it?
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Those of us who hoped that DfT’s release of its Transport Decarbonisation Plan (TDP) would unlock wider action across the sector have been rewarded for our optimism with the publication of Highways England’s Plan for Net Zero Highways.
It is worth noting from the outset that HE’s plan assumes that the £27Bn of works in the current Roads Investment Strategy will go ahead – and that this work can be done while keeping within the UK’s carbon budget and the target of keeping warming to below 1.5 degrees centigrade. That is decision for Ministers and not HE and mean there is now a real divergence across the UK, with the Welsh government recently announcing a moratorium on all new road building.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has been keen to point out that almost half of that £27Bn is actually earmarked for renewal, maintenance and operations, as well as for schemes to improve safety, increase biodiversity and open up opportunities for active travel. Notwithstanding, last week Shapps announced a review of the National Policy Statement (NPS) for National Networks, acknowledging it needed to be updated to reflect the impacts of COVID, the UK’s legal commitment to Net Zero and the TDP. This review is due to be completed by Spring 2023. In the meantime, the existing NPS will act as the basis for decisions on development consent by the Planning Inspectorate and the Secretary of State.
CIHT will play a full part in the NPS review but putting that debate to one side for now, there is an awful lot (sceptics might say a little too much) for transport professionals to chew on in HE’s plan. It is built around 3 targets, 2030 for achieving Net Zero in HE’s own operations, 2040 for its construction and maintenance activity and 2050 for Net Zero travel on its roads. The second of these objectives gets the most attention, which seems logical given this is the site of the greatest crossover between the scale of emissions and HE’s direct influence.
This part of the plan is very front loaded and demonstrates that HE is looking to be an active client or in the language of the Infrastructure Client Group’s Project 13, a Capable Owner. HE are very clear on what it expects from its supply chain today and has put down multiple markers to allow it to ramp this up in Road Periods 2, 3 and beyond. Here’s a list of some of the more important commitments:
The Plan also sets the ambition for all users of HE’s roads to be travelling on Net Zero vehicles by 2050. The commitments here are to enabling actions, for example by 2023 to have published a “clear proposition” for electric vehicle charging infrastructure on the network. It is not all tech-fix however and the plan does include actions aimed at supporting modal shift and integration – but it is notable that these commitments don’t all have hard dates against them.
That criticism aside, this is an ambitious plan. If HE can deliver it will mean fundamental change for all part of its supply chain. Businesses that want to continue carrying out work for HE will at the very least need to set hard targets, introduce carbon management systems and be part of a sector wide effort to create an innovation pipeline for materials and technology.
CIHT will be supporting our members develop the skills and capabilities they need to respond. If you’d like to be involved – or just share your thoughts, please do get in touch.
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Andrew Crudgington is acting Climate Change Associate at CIHT. Previously he was Director of External Affairs & Strategy at the Institution of Civil Engineers where he was responsible for ICE's policy advice to government and other stakeholders.
In recent years he has delivered policy and industry improvement projects for a range of organisations including the Association for Consultancy and Engineering, and the Major Projects Association.
Please do feel free to reach out to Andrew with your comments or queries. You can contact him on e: Andrew.Crudgington@ciht.org.uk or t: +44 20 4526 9849.
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