Greener Vision TKH Page 7

Who will be the first local authority to cross the Rubicon?

Published on: 21st January 2021 by Professor Laurence Pickup.

The Rubicon was not a large river for Julius Caesar to cross in January 49 B.C. The river flows from the Apennines in Central Italy into the Adriatic Sea, close to the modern resort of Rimini and in those times it marked the Northern boundary of Roman territory. However the significance of that simple action…

The Green Road Ahead?

Published on: 14th January 2021 by Stuart Thomson.

The role of transport in the delivery of the climate change agenda is fundamental. The Government has made a series of high-profile announcements, not least bringing forward the date for ending the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans to 2030. But detail on delivery is lacking and that is what makes the…

A fair transition in transport

Published on: 21st December 2020 by Tim Anderson.

Ambitious decarbonisation targets are now set in stone, with net zero by 2050 ingrained in our consciousness, along with the more challenging target of 2030 for the ban of new petrol and diesel car sales. These targets give us something to work towards and highlight that the UK is leading the way on setting ambitious…

To find the best route to net zero, ask directions

Published on: 14th December 2020 by Lilian Greenwood.

If the UK Government is serious about wanting to deliver its own legally binding target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050, the public’s acceptance and engagement with the need for behaviour change is absolutely vital. Step forward, Climate Assembly UK – a ground-breaking initiative for Parliament in which six select committees…

Ambitious targets alone won’t be enough – the Government needs a proper Plan

Published on: 10th December 2020 by Baroness Randerson.

The Government has made a series of welcome announcements this year prior to COP 26. The PM’s 10 Point Plan for a “green industrial revolution” includes bringing forward the date for a ban on new petrol and diesel vehicles to 2030 but it is lacking in the level of detail needed if we are to…

We need to stop building roads just for cars

Published on: 8th December 2020 by Lord Randall.

In 2019, Essex County Council didn’t declare a climate emergency, the Authority instead went further by committing to a significant and sustained programme of climate action. The first step of this was to establish the independent Essex Climate Action Commission and invite academics, industry experts and business representatives to join. I have the privilege of…

Urban mobility arrives at its own crossroads

Published on: 7th December 2020 by Simon Dixon and Justine Bornstein.

Against the backdrop of the pandemic, rumours of the death of public transport have been greatly exaggerated (with apologies to Mark Twain). Yes, urban transport planners and operators are currently facing some of their biggest challenges ever: rising costs, legacy infrastructure and ever-decreasing passenger numbers. Personally, I am keen to get back to regular commuting…

The end of the ‘ICE age’ is upon us

Published on: 4th December 2020 by Neil Wallis.

So, the starting gun has been fired and 2030 is the deadline for phasing out cars and vans with a standard internal combustion engine (ICE). This extraordinary invention, an increasingly dominant feature of all our lives since the late 19th Century will soon be consigned to our industrial history (at least in lighter vehicles). This…

Greening the EV Transition

Published on: 2nd December 2020 by Greg Marsden.

The end of the sale of internal combustion engine cars has been brought forward to 2030. This must be greeted with enthusiasm. It’s a big step and I am glad the government has done this. However, if this is to play its part in a Paris-compliant pathway to zero emissions, this can only be the…

Levelling up to zero carbon

Published on: 30th November 2020 by Jim Steer.

It all come out last week. A Budget (understandably set for one year only); a National Infrastructure Strategy (Government’s formal response to the National Infrastructure Commission’s advice from 2018); and a review of HM Treasury’s Green Book. Each of them has great significance to the transport sector, and each contains revealing insights into the post…

SUPERPOWER

Published on: 27th November 2020 by Keith Moverley.

I am a lifelong rail engineer, not a philosopher yet during these COVID times with more time to read, write and philosophise, I was drawn to a recent statement made by Bill Gates who summed up my thinking — “COVID-19 is awful. Climate change could be worse.” Despite the warning signs, progress on climate change has,…

Sustainable Congestion-Busting Alternatives to a new M4 Motorway in South East Wales

Published on: 26th November 2020 by Lord Burns.

South East Wales is home to some of the most populated areas of Wales, including the capital Cardiff and the city of Newport. It has long suffered from an acute congestion problem on the M4 motorway. The independent South East Wales Transport Commission was set up in 2019 by Wales’ First Minister, Mark Drakeford, following…