This plan sets out the government’s commitments and the actions needed to decarbonise the entire transport system in the UK.
It includes:
- our pathway to net zero transport in the UK
- the wider benefits net zero transport can deliver
- the principles that underpin our approach to delivering net zero transport
The plan follows on from Decarbonising transport: setting the challenge, published in March 2020, which laid out the scale of additional reductions needed to deliver transport’s contribution to legally binding carbon budgets and delivering net zero by 2050.
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/transport-decarbonisation-plan
Summary of commitments
Part 2a Decarbonising all forms of transport
Increasing cycling and walking
- We will deliver the Prime Minister’s bold vision for cycling and walking investing £2 billion over five years with the aim that half of all journeys in towns and cities will be cycled or walked by 2030
- We will deliver a world class cycling and walking network in England by 2040
Zero emission buses and coaches
- We will deliver the National Bus Strategy’s vision of a transformed bus industry and a green bus revolution
- We will consult on modernising the Bus Service Operators’ Grant in 2021
- We will support delivery of 4,000 new zero emission buses and the infrastructure needed to support them
- We will deliver the first All-Electric Bus Town or City
- We are consulting on a phase out date for the sale of new non-zero emission buses
- We will consult on a phase out date for the sale of new non-zero emission coaches
Decarbonising our railways
- We will deliver a net zero railway network by 2050, with sustained carbon reductions in rail along the way. Our ambition is to remove all diesel-only trains (passenger and freight) from the network by 2040
- We will deliver an ambitious, sustainable, and cost-effective programme of electrification guided by Network Rail’s Traction Decarbonisation Network Strategy
- We are supporting the development of battery and hydrogen trains and will deploy them on the network as we decarbonise. We will also use technology to clean up diesel trains until they can be removed altogether
- We are building extra capacity on our rail network to meet growing passenger and freight demand and support significant shifts from road and air to rail
- We will work with industry to modernise fares ticketing and retail to encourage a shift to rail and cleaner and greener transport journeys
- We will improve rail journey connectivity with walking, cycling and other modes of transport
- We will introduce a rail freight growth target We will incentivise the early take up of low carbon traction for rail freight
A zero emission fleet of cars, vans, motorcycles, and scooters
- We will consult on regulatory options, including zero emission vehicle mandates, to deliver petrol and diesel phase out dates for new vehicles
- We have published a zero emission cars and vans delivery plan We will continue to support demand for zero emission vehicles through a a package of financial and non-financial incentives
- We will consult this year on a phase out date of 2035, or earlier if a faster transition appears feasible, for the sale of new non-zero emission powered two and three wheelers (and other L category vehicles)
- We will deliver an action plan this year to build new UK opportunities for zero emission light powered vehicles
- We will lead by example with 25% of the Government car fleet ultra low emission by December 2022 and 100% of the Government car and van fleet zero emission by 2027
- We will ensure the UK’s charging infrastructure network meets the demands of its users We will support and nurture innovation in the UK automotive sector
- We will invest £15 million in 2021/22 to help address the backlog in traffic signal maintenance to improve traffic flow and reduce emissions
- We will review the National Networks National Policy Statement
Accelerating maritime decarbonisation
- We will plot a course to net zero for the UK domestic maritime sector, with indicative targets from 2030 and net zero as early as is feasible
- We will consult on the potential for a planned phase out date for the sale of new non-zero emission domestic vessels
- We will assess how economic instruments could be used to accelerate the decarbonisation of the domestic maritime sector
- We will accelerate the development of zero emission technology and infrastructure in the UK
- We will consult this year on the appropriate steps to support and, if needed, mandate the uptake of shore power in the UK
- We will extend the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) to support renewable fuels of nonbiological origin used in shipping
- Internationally, the UK will press for greater ambition during the 2023 review of the International Maritime Organisation Initial Greenhouse Gas Strategy and urge accelerated decarbonisation
- We will ensure we have the right information to regulate emissions, and to judge the effectiveness of the steps we are taking in the UK and at the IMO
Accelerating aviation decarbonisation
- We will consult on our Jet Zero strategy, which will set out the steps we will take to reach net zero aviation emissions by 2050
- We will consult on a target for UK domestic aviation to reach net zero by 2040
- We will consult on a target for decarbonising emissions from airport operations in England by 2040
- We are supporting the development of new and zero carbon UK aircraft technology through the Aerospace Technology Institute (ATI)
- We will fund zero emission flight infrastructure R&D at UK airports
- We will kick-start commercialisation of UK sustainable aviation fuels (SAF)
- We will consult on a UK sustainable aviation fuels mandate
- We will support UK airspace modernisation
- We will further develop the UK Emissions Trading Scheme to help accelerate aviation decarbonisation
- We will work with industry to accelerate the adoption of innovative zero emission aircraft and aviation technology in General Aviation
- We will aim to agree an ambitious long-term global emissions reduction goal in the International Civil Aviation Organization by 2022
Part 2b Multi-modal decarbonisation and key enablers
Delivering a zero emission freight and logistics sector
- We are consulting on phase out dates for the sale of all new non-zero emission HGVs
- We will demonstrate zero emission HGV technology on UK roads this year
- We will stimulate demand for zero emission trucks through financial and non-financial incentives
- We will support efficiency improvements and emission reductions in the existing fleet
- We will support and encourage modal shift of freight from road to more sustainable alternatives, such as rail, cargo bike and inland waterways
- We will take forward measures to transform ‘last mile’ deliveries
Delivering decarbonisation through places
- We will support decarbonisation by investing more than £12 billion in local transport systems over the current Parliament, enabling local authorities to invest in local priorities – including those related to decarbonisation such as reducing congestion and improving air quality
- We will drive decarbonisation and transport improvements at a local level by making quantifiable carbon reductions a fundamental part of local transport planning and funding
- We will publish a Local Authority Toolkit in 2021, providing guidance to support local areas to deliver more sustainable transport measures
- We will embed transport decarbonisation principles in spatial planning and across transport policymaking
- We will create at least one zero emission transport city and four industrial ‘SuperPlaces’
- We will complete our review of how to best represent decarbonisation measures in transport business cases and appraisals
Maximising the benefits of sustainable low carbon fuels
- We will increase the main Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation (RTFO) target
- We will introduce petrol with up to 10 per cent ethanol (E10) as standard petrol in September 2021
- In cooperation with stakeholders, we will review the role of fuels with higher biocontent starting this year and explore potential measures to remove existing market barriers for use in certain compatible vehicles
- We will seek to maximise the use of low carbon fuel in aviation and maritime as detailed in other relevant commitments elsewhere in this plan
- We will develop a strategy for low carbon fuels, from now until 2050, to set a clear signal about the Government’s vision for the sector
Hydrogen’s role in a decarbonised transport system
- The UK Government will publish an overarching Hydrogen Strategy in summer 2021, which will focus on the increased production of hydrogen and use across the economy, including for transport
- We will invest £3 million in 2021 to establish the UK’s first multi-modal hydrogen transport hub in Tees Valley
Future transport – more choice, better efficiency
- We will take action to increase average road vehicle occupancy by 2030
- We will publish guidance for local authorities on support for shared car ownership and shared occupancy schemes and services
- We will support car clubs to go fully zero emission We will consult on a Mobility as a Service Code of Practice
- We will use national e-scooter trials to understand their environmental impact, safety, and mode shift potential to evaluate whether they should be legalised
- We will reduce the barriers to data sharing across the transport sector
- We have launched a new annual statistical release and guidance about transport’s impact on the environment and support its use by third parties
- We will explore the introduction of a new sustainable travel reward scheme supported by businesses, community organisations and charities
- We will support transport providers to develop communications campaigns that encourage mode-switch and sustainable transport behaviours
- We will encourage and support UK businesses to lead the way in taking action to reduce emissions from their employees’ travel journeys through “Commute Zero”
- We will identify specific opportunities for decarbonisation through innovation in rural areas in the upcoming Future of Transport: Rural Strategy
- We will help build a skilled workforce for the future of transport
Supporting UK research and development as a decarbonisation enabler
- We will coordinate transport’s investment in R&D, collaborating with key stakeholders through our Transport Research and Innovation Board (TRIB)
- We will update our Areas of Research Interest (ARIs) and publish our new DfT Science Plan by summer 2021
Opinions
Regen SW Though there are a number of laudable commitments in the Plan, there is a continuation of this government’s theme to provide broad-brush messages in nicely formatted documents, pushing the detail into future documents: the plan comes with 79 commitments, consultations and deliverables with most detail to be determined.
Having said that, there are some bones of a plan in the “Transitioning to zero emission cars and vans: 2035 delivery plan” and many consultations were released alongside the plan yesterday. If all of these consultations are followed up on/released then it could put the UK in a very strong position to decarbonise our vehicles (leaving aside aviation and marine transport), but time is of the essence and more delay will not be welcomed by anyone in the transport or environment sectors.
