Carbon emissions from domestic transport will be reduced by up to 14 per cent over the next decade the Government predicts as a result of the new carbon reduction strategy, published today by Transport Secretary, Andrew Adonis.
Transport currently makes up 21 per cent of all UK domestic carbon emissions. The strategy entitled ‘Low carbon transport: a greener future’ part of the ‘UK Low Carbon Transition Plan’ white paper, sets out the policies and proposals for reducing transport sector emissions through to 2022, including measures to boost the uptake of electric cars, increase use of public transport and promote cycling and walking.
It also frames the debate for the longer-term decarbonisation of transport to give people and businesses more low carbon choices about when, where and how to travel or transport goods.
Andrew Adonis said: “Transport accounts for a significant amount of our domestic emissions. Therefore decarbonising this sector has to be front and centre of efforts to meet our obligations and commitments to tackle climate change.
“Our strategy sets out a long-term vision for a fundamentally different transport system in our country, where carbon reduction is a central consideration in the way we do business.
“If we are to safeguard the future of transport then we must also safeguard the environment that it impacts upon – I am determined to do that.”
Today’s strategy sets out how an additional 85 million tonnes of CO2 from domestic transport can be saved from 2018-2022 by: supporting a shift to new technologies and fuels; promoting lower carbon choices; and using market mechanisms to encourage the shift to lower carbon transport.
Key elements in the strategy include; a new steering group for the freight and logistics industry to find effective ways of measuring, reporting and reducing emissions across the logistics sector; a commitment to work with European partners to develop a robust mechanism for regulating CO2 from new vans, including clear targets for the medium and long-term and a mechanism to encourage the development of the ultra-low carbon van market whilst respecting the diversity of the van market and proposed eligibility criteria for the £2-5,000 consumer incentives for electric and plug-in hybrid cars, expected to apply from 2011. This includes the requirement for the vehicle to have maximum tailpipe emissions of 75g CO2/km. An update has also been published on the infrastructure framework which is supporting this scheme.
This publication builds on ongoing initiatives to reduce carbon emissions from transport and is part of a wider government comprehensive plan for decarbonising the UK and maximising the economic benefits presented by low carbon industries.
Campaign for Better Transport welcomed the Government’s low-carbon transport strategy but said that the measures in it were being undermined by the rest of Department for Transport policies. Executive Director Stephen Joseph said:”This strategy is a great first step and we welcome the recongition that we need to change behaviour as well as hve green technology. But the good measures in it will be undermined by other Government transport policies, including expanding roads and airports and increasing rail fares above inflation. We’re particularly disappointed that the Government has rejected our proposed carbon reduction fund for transport, which would have encouraged all kinds of groups and councils to bring forward low carbon transport projects.”
“The first test of this strategy will be the local transport spending priorities that Ministers are expected to announce in the next few days. Councils have asked for £4 billion for road building – we want the Government to fund low carbon alternatives such as public transport and safe cycle routes.”
