Decarbonising transport
Let’s get moving together
Discover our latest Interchange report where we consider how to mitigate against climate change by decarbonising transport, and our roles in this process
Working together to reach net zero
We know the climate crisis is worsening, and we must make changes urgently.
The transport sector is the largest contributor to UK domestic greenhouse gas emissions of CO2.
This decarbonisation research focuses on the practical things industry, business, and government at all levels can do to take action.
We have a lot of work to do to create a sustainable, effective and equitable transport network and travel choices. These may involve different challenges, opportunities, and solutions depending on geography, socio-economic issues, and the available transport infrastructure. Someone living in Central London, for example, will have a very different set of transport choices available to them than someone living in a rural area in the north.
Investment and technology are important in decarbonising transport - but so is collaboration. We must continue to share best practice, innovation, and creative solutions across industries, with both the public and the private sector. We want this to go further, with transport providers talking to transport users and commuters of all types, including children – the travellers of tomorrow.
We developed the ideas in this report through workshops with leaders from our partners and stakeholders. Read it now to discover case studies and our recommendations on how to decarbonise transport and travel, particularly how we can re-think travel demand, re-mode – shifting away from car-dependence, and re-power transport away from vehicles that run on fossil fuels.
Why decarbonise transport?
The benefits of decarbonising transport include:
- Improved air quality and less noise pollution
- Health and wellbeing benefits
- Less traffic congestion
- Place making
- Economic growth and jobs
We will need to take two approaches at the same time:
Mitigation: reducing climate change through reducing the flow of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere
Adapting the way we live to a warmer, more volatile environment
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Decarbonisation is not just some technocratic process. It is how we fix some of that harm. It is how we make sure that transport shapes the country and the economy in ways that are good. It’s about taking the filth out of the air and creating cleaner, quieter, healthier places. It’s about a second, green, industrial revolution, creating hundreds of thousands of new, skilled jobs, in some of the proud towns and cities that were the cradle of the first one. It’s not about stopping people doing things: it’s about doing the same things differently.
Rethinking travel demand
Do we need to travel at all?
Advances in digital technology mean that more people can work from home.
Do we need to travel now?
Travelling outside of peak hours can reduce congestion and free up capacity on sustainable modes of transport.
Do we need to travel so far?
Access to more local services and jobs can mean we don’t need to make so many long journeys.
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Remoding and repowering
Re-moding travel
This means switching from journeys in private vehicles to using:
- car sharing or car clubs,
- or, even better, to public transport,
- or, better still, to cycling or walking,
- or micro-mobility modes such as e-scooters
The more sustainable the mode of travel we choose, the more carbon can be reduced in the transport system. However, this is reliant on having the necessary infrastructure, services and accessibility required. New housing developments that are only accessible by car, public transport that is unaffordable or unreliable, cycle routes that feel unsafe, and buses that aren’t accessible for people with disabilities are all examples that can limit our ability to re-mode.
Re-powering travel
If re-thinking and re-moding are not options, we can re-power our journeys by switching from fossil fuels to electricity. Re-powering is also a way for public transport operators to reduce their emissions. More sustainable, ‘cleaner’ sources include hydrogen, electrification, and hybrid solutions.
Influences
Our report identifies five key areas that influence our ability to re-think, re-mode and re-power.
These are:
- Government: policies can influence, impact and encourage a modal shift and change travel behaviour.
- Infrastructure: can ensure safe, usable and well-designed transport networks which are appealing and accessible.
- Technology: changing the ways we think about and use transport, particularly public transport services.
- Environment: increasing understanding of our individual and societal impact on the environment and climate change.
- The transition: how quickly and easily we can re-think, re-mode and re-power our way to decarbonisation.
Read the report
What next?
This work becomes meaningful and impactful if readers turn its words into actions.
Which of its recommendations can you put into place in your own organisations?
How can you continue the conversation with partners in your field?
How can you reach out to partners outside of your field?
What support and commitments do you need from government?
Let’s turn this report into a conversation.