The Department for Transport (DfT) has announced that carbon emissions from domestic transport will be reduced by 14% in the next decade.
The Low carbon transport: A greener future strategy reaffirmed several green transport measures, including promoting cycling, high-speed rail and grants for lower-emission buses.
But the Transport Innovation Fund remains unchanged, meaning local authorities will still have to include congestion-charging proposals when submitting TIF bids.
Campaign for Better Transport executive director, Stephen Joseph, described the strategy as a ‘great first step’, but said the good measures would be undermined by other government transport policies, such as expanding roads 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,’ he added.
Sustrans policy manager, Jason Torrance, said the Government’s lack of investment in promoting local, low-carbon choices, combined with it giving the go ahead to carbon-generating schemes, meant the UK could not hit its target of a 34% reduction by 2020. The strategy revealed the Government had no plans to introduce a national system of road pricing, but said councils could continue to develop their own schemes.
But it said it was exploring, through trials, how a scheme charging by time, distance and place could be designed ‘so that it could safeguard people’s privacy while operating reliably, accurately and cost-effectively’.
Transport secretary, Lord Adonis, said: ‘If we are to safeguard the future of transport then we must also safeguard the environment that it impacts on. I am determined to do that.’
Shadow transport secretary, Theresa Villiers, dismissed the strategy as a set of re-hashed announcements. ‘If Labour were really serious about green transport, they would scrap their deeply-damaging plans for a third runway at [London’s] Heathrow Airport.’
Register now for full access
Register just once to get unrestricted, real-time coverage of the issues and challenges facing UK transport and highways engineers.
Full website content includes the latest news, exclusive commentary from leading industry figures and detailed topical analysis of the highways, transportation, environment and place-shaping sectors.
Use the link below to register your details for full, free access.
Already a registered? Login
