Why the UK’s decarbonization plan is good, but not great
Roads to nowhere
But there is also plenty to criticize in the government’s approach. Perhaps most of all, the absence of international flights and shipping from carbon budgets in the new consultation effectively gives these sectors a free pass.
The government also recently committed £27 billion over five years tobuilding new roads and upgrading old onesin England, including a tunnel under Stonehenge and an even bigger one beneath the River Thames.Road building tends to generate extra trafficby changing travel patterns and attracting new developments adjacent to new roads that contribute to dependence on cars. Such a large program is likely to undermine any vision for scaling down car use.
In light of thecourt of appeal decisionon the Heathrow third runway, it’s possible that the government’s road-building strategywon’t stand up in court. This is because it runs counter to the government’scommitments to cut carbon emissions.
Meanwhile, current planning policies include setting targets forhouse buildingin places and with designs that add tocar dependence. Much new housing is developed on greenfield sites or on the outskirts of small towns where public transport is limited. These are often built at low density with plentiful car parking, and with limited local facilities and services and sometimes even without pavements.
There is little in the government’s consultation on upgrading local public transport to help such new developments reduce their dependence on cars. There isno mention of light rail or tramsin the consultation, though these options arelow emission.
Car-sharing, travel plans that aim to cut car travel at schools and workplaces and other small-scale measures appear to be mostly absent, too –despite evidence that they can reduce emissions. Unless this is addressed, it’s hard to see how the government’s new vision can be realized.
At the heart of the consultation is a wider problem. The examples it gives, such as e-cargo bikes and cycling schemes, are chiefly urban in design. A clear vision for decarbonized transport is needed for people living outside cities.
All of this is being discussed at a time whentravel behavior has had to change massively. Travel restrictions will be relaxed once the COVID-19 pandemic dissipates, but some changes might continue and could support decarbonization. People have learned how to work and meet remotely for one, and the government should prioritize entrenching some of this behavior after the crisis ends.
This article is republished fromThe ConversationbyStephen Joseph, Visiting Professor, Smart Mobility Research Unit,University of Hertfordshireunder a Creative Commons license. Read theoriginal article.
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