Progress towards achieving net zero by 2050 is “a long way off track”, with current Government policies on decarbonising transport only set to provide at best 50% of the emissions reduction needed from the sector, according to a new report.
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Think tank the Green Alliance says that on top of existing pledges, the upcoming Comprehensive Spending Review should include an additional £7.7Bn a year to be invested in low carbon transport.
The report – which comes less than two months before the UK hosts the COP26 climate summit in Glasgow – says this should include spending on upgrading railways and trams, increasing active travel levels and improving electric vehicle charging infrastructure.
This recommendation comes after analysis by the think tank showed that transport decarbonisation policies announced so far by the Government would only reduce the sector’s emissions by a quarter.
If policies currently out for consultation are taken into account – particularly those on introducing a zero emission vehicle mandate and phasing out fossil fuel HGVs – emissions savings from the sector would rise to nearly 50%. The group calls for such policies to be fast tracked.
Green Alliance head of climate policy Caterina Brandmayr said: “While the Government has taken some important steps to promote clean vehicles ahead of COP26, it must firmly commit to introducing a zero emission vehicle mandate on car makers and phasing out the sale of polluting trucks if it wants to secure nearly half of the emission savings needed to meet the UK’s decarbonisation target between 2028 and 2032.
“To close the gap further, Treasury must play its role too, scaling up investment in public transport and active travel to ensure that communities across the UK can enjoy cleaner air, healthier lifestyles and a modern, functional transport system,” she added.
The report also criticises a lack of new policies to date on reducing demand for road and air travel, and describes it as “concerning” that the Government has not issued a moratorium on road building while a review of the national policy statement for major road schemes is carried out.
Also this week, new research from climate charity Possible indicates that the popularity of low traffic neighbourhood schemes – which have proven controversial during the pandemic – is likely to increase over time as people become used to them.
A survey was carried out in which 85% of residents living on or close to streets where traffic filters have been established for several years reported that they want these to remain in place.
In other decarbonisation related news, Transport Minister Rachel Maclean told the House of Commons last week that Government intends to progress legislation later this year to ensure all new residential and non residential buildings will be built with an electric vehicle charge point.
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