Greener Vision TKH Page 10

Getting to net zero

Published on: 3rd September 2020 by Dieter Helm.

How do we get to net zero? The easy bit is passing the legislation for a 2050 net zero target. The difficult bit is working out what needs to be done, and how to make a difference to global warming. The Climate Change Committee tells us that “by reducing emissions produced in the UK to…

The Road to Net Zero: Can hydrogen vehicles pave the way?

Published on: 1st September 2020 by Jodie Dunz.

Chances are you or someone you know has uttered the words ‘my next car will be electric‘. And why not? The environmental benefits of electric vehicles (EV) are clear and significant global investment is carrying EVs into the mainstream. However, much like road testing a car, one size does not fit all. The logistics sector…

We will not have clean air without a cleaner transport system

Published on: 27th August 2020 by Andrea Lee.

In the next ten years, if all goes to plan, we could see the sale of new diesel and petrol cars phased out in this country as part of wider efforts to decarbonise our transport system in the quest to address the climate emergency. But what about our health in the meantime? Legal limits for…

Does community engagement hold the key to transport decarbonisation and building back better?

Published on: 25th August 2020 by Jools Townsend.

We are at a critical juncture with transport, and how we approach the myriad challenges of rebuilding from Covid-19 has far-reaching consequences. People’s eyes have been opened to the difference it makes if we have quieter streets, if we walk or cycle more, and if we interact and pull together locally. Opportunities have opened up…

Let’s seize the chance to decarbonise transport

Published on: 20th August 2020 by Darren Shirley.

There’s no getting around it: when it comes to reducing carbon emissions, transport is not doing well. In the UK, domestic transport emits more carbon than any other sector, but the good news is that the Government has recognised this and resolved to act through its Decarbonising Transport Plan. Back in March, when it announced…

Decarbonising transport outside cities

Published on: 18th August 2020 by Stephen Joseph.

In discussions about transport and decarbonisation, there is a strongly expressed view from some quarters that while it might be possible to decarbonise transport in cities, outside these there is no alternative to cars for any of the journeys people make and that any attempts to reduce car use outside cities are unrealistic. Yet the…

Rethinking the way we design bus services for a sustainable, inclusive future

Published on: 13th August 2020 by Sam Ryan.

Mass transport is vital not only for decarbonisation but also for an inclusive, congestion-free future. Without effective mass transport (alongside active travel), our towns and cities will grind to a halt and many people will become excluded from society – unable to reach work or education. Yet, our public transport systems face a crisis in…

It’s time to step out of our silos

Published on: 11th August 2020 by Jenni Wiggle.

In ‘Decarbonising Transport: Setting the Challenge’, Government takes the welcome approach of viewing all modes of transport together. Ensuring that more trips can be made by foot is a crucial part of the solution – and the new cycling and walking plan for England ‘Gear Change’ is a step in the right direction too. But more needs to be done. The National Travel Survey for England shows that almost 80% of journeys under a mile…

Zero emissions experiments

Published on: 6th August 2020 by Dr Rachel Aldred.

I recently participated in the DfT roundtables on decarbonising transport. I recorded a short video as part of this, making the case for a radical policy experiment to trial a substantial shift away from car use. We need radical thinking about policy implementation, because we need to go much further and faster than current European…

Accelerating modal shift to public and active transport

Published on: 30th July 2020 by Claire Haigh.

Rising demand for car and van travel one of the central reasons why transport emissions in the UK remain stubbornly high. Electrification has a part to play but it goes nowhere near far or fast enough. More fundamental changes in behaviour will be needed. It was encouraging, therefore, to see the prominence given to…

Maximising the benefits of investing in local bus services

Published on: 28th July 2020 by Gerard Whelan.

In February 2020, the Department for Transport announced £5 billion of new funding over the next five years for bus services and cycling. Of this total, £2 billion has been allocated to ‘active travel’ and £3 billion to buses. A key question for the Government is how to allocate the new funding for buses in…

Continuing the Green Bus Revolution

Published on: 28th July 2020 by Graham Vidler.

Buses are the cleanest vehicles on our roads and a new bus purchased today is already cleaner than the equivalent car. We can be rightly proud that our industry will have a central role in ensuring that the UK meets its ambitious goal of being net zero by 2050. This role is not new though.…