Carbon emissions from transport could be reduced by one-quarter by 2020 without a change in legislation, according to new research by Campaign for Better Transport.

The measures recommended can be brought in using powers in the Local Transport Act and the Climate Change Act, as well as the local authority performance indicators within local area agreements.

But extending policies, including intensive improvements to vehicle efficiency, will achieve less than 5% reduction on 1990 levels by 2020, the research concludes. CBT outlines a package of measures which will collectively cut overall CO2 emissions from transport by 26% by 2020 on 2006 figures.

This could be achieved through a 32% reduction in passenger travel emissions, a 19% cut in freight emissions, making cars 25% more fuel efficient, reducing car traffic by 15% and cutting domestic aviation emissions by 30%.

The package includes a range of ‘quick-win’ and longer-term measures. To reduce work-related car travel, it recommends promoting travel plans to businesses and extending roll out of Active Traffic Management schemes on motorways as quick-win measures.

Longer-term ideas include promoting cashback and green bonus schemes which reward people for not driving to work. To reduce car use, it proposes new ‘walkable streets’, ‘smarter choices’ funds, creating cycle priority networks and bike hire schemes in major towns and cities, and reforming street design to increase safety.

Longer-term recommendations include using eco towns to show it is possible to create developments where people can choose not to own a car. Increasing public transport trips can be achieved by improving and integrating bus services and, in the longer term, by introducing a national travel card based on London’s Oystercard, creating new types of public transport including taxibuses, improved coaches and ultra-light rail, and introducing more trams and rapid transits.

Proposals to cut freight emissions include introducing road-user charging for lorries, increasing capacity on the rail network, and reducing van emissions through tax breaks and regulations, as now applied to cars. Stephen Joseph, executive director of Campaign for Better Transport, said: ‘We will be pressing the Government to adopt these measures as part of its strategy to cut carbon emissions.’