UK government publishes ground-breaking transport decarbonisation plan

With just a few months to go to COP26, the UK government has published a ground-breaking transport decarbonisation plan, aiming to cut emissions from roads, rail, seas and skies, setting what it claims is a ‘credible’ pathway for the whole transport sector to reach net zero by 2050.

Cleaner transport has the potential to support tens of thousands of jobs worth up to £9.7bn GVA (gross value added) in 2050, claims UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps. ‘Decarbonisation is not just some technocratic process. It’s about how we make sure that transport shapes quality of life and the economy in ways that are good,’ he said.

Shapps maintains: ‘The Transport Decarbonisation Plan is just the start – we will need continued efforts and collaboration to deliver its ambitious commitments, which will ultimately create sustainable economic growth through healthier communities as we build back greener.’

The UK government announced its intention to phase-out the sale of new diesel and petrol heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) by 2040, subject to consultation – combined with the 2035 phase-out for polluting cars and vans. This represents a ‘world-leading’ pledge, says Shapps, to phase-out all polluting road vehicles on UK roads within the next two decades. The consultation proposes a 2035 phase-out for vehicles weighing from 3.5–26 tonnes and 2040 for vehicles weighing more than 26 tonnes – or earlier if a faster transition seems feasible.

The Transport Secretary notes that billions of pounds in investment are already pledged, including £2bn in cycling and walking, and £2.8bn to support industry and motorists to make the switch to cleaner vehicles. The Transport Decarbonisation Plan also sets out how the UK government will improve public transport and increase support for active travel to make them ‘the natural first choice’ for all who can take them – creating a net zero rail network by 2050, ensuring net zero domestic aviation emissions by 2040 and leading the transition to green shipping.

In response to the transport green plan, Lizabeth de Jong, Director of Policy at Logistics UK, says: ‘The Transport Decarbonisation Plan will help provide logistics businesses with confidence and clarity on the steps they must take on the pathway to net zero. Consultation on proposed phase-out dates for new diesel HGVs should enable business to move forwards with confidence.’

The commitment comes as the government publishes a green paper setting out the regulatory framework requiring vehicle manufacturers to improve the fuel efficiency of new cars, vans and HGVs, enabling the UK to meet the ambitious phase-out dates while creating new jobs for the automotive sector and potentially delivering more certainty for drivers.

The UK government has also published a 2035 delivery plan, which brings together all the measures for decarbonising cars and vans, from across government into a single document, with key timelines, milestones and how progress towards mass ownership of zero emissions cars and vans will be monitored.

In addition, the UK government has launched the Jet Zero consultation which commits the aviation sector to a net zero emissions target by 2050 and sets out an action plan for how it can be achieved – for all UK domestic aviation and airport operations in England to reach net zero by 2040.

Furthermore, the central government fleet of 40,000 cars and vans will be upgraded to be fully zero emission by 2027, three years earlier than previously planned.

Register for the Energy Institute’s Powering Net Zero Conference to be held online on 6 October 2021, featuring expert speakers and key insights in the policies, technologies and people needed to reach net zero – go to https://www.energyinst.org/whats-on/search/powering-net-zero