The report states that road transport accounted for just under tree-quarters of transport energy consumption in the UK in 2017. Transport has increased its use of energy since 1990 with 16% whereas the rest of the economy has decreased its energy use by 4% in the same period. 

CREDS seeks to understand the changes in energy demand that are needed to transition the UK to a secure and affordable, low carbon energy system. This involves how much energy is used but also fuel type and when it is used. The report agrees, albeit calls for a strengthening, of the importance of switching fuel type, i.e. to an electric vehicle fleet as outlined in the Road to Zero strategy, but finds that Government takes for granted that demand for travel will continue to grow. 

We nevertheless question the almost exclusive reliance upon technical improvements (...)

The report supports the Committee on Climate Change's (CCC) warning of relying solely on technical solutions for achieving low carbon transport and that policies that influence travel demand should have a more significant role. One of the policy recommendations is to incentivise the coordination of transport and planning objectives to reduce the need to travel. 

CIHT supports this and the soon to be released advice Better Planning, Better Transport, Better Places will look at the holistic integration of planning and transport that is required to create sustainable developments.  

Read the full CREDS report here. Chapter 4 on Transport & Mobility is authored by Jillian Anable and Phil Goodwin, fellow of CIHT. 

Source: https://www.creds.ac.uk/