Government marks first year of Transport Decarbonisation Plan

The government has marked the first year anniversary of its Transport Decarbonisation Plan, with an outline of the progress its made - as well as the launch of two new consultations and the publication of its second Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy.

One year on since the plan was published, and the government says almost 7,500 extra electric vehicle chargepoints have been installed, supporting the 900,000 green vehicles that are on UK roads, and over 130 new walking and cycling schemes have been funded.

It says the production of zero emission vehicles alone has the potential to support 72,000 green jobs worth up to £9.7 billion in gross value added by 2050.

Further progress includes announcing plans to support the UK market to increase public electric vehicle chargepoints by tenfold by the end of the decade, as part of the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy.

The government also launched its first office dedicated to decarbonising the UK’s maritime industry, known as the UK Shipping Office for Reducing Emissions, and developed a Jet Zero Strategy, which will be launched this year, setting out the roadmap to achieving net zero aviation.

It also confirmed its pledge at the COP26 Summit to dramatically increase the pace of the global transition so that all new cars and vans are zero emission by 2035 in leading markets and by 2040 globally – this declaration now has 180 signatures, including from 39 countries worldwide and 14 major vehicle manufacturers on top of cities, fleets and investors.

The government also launched a £200 million Zero Emission Road Freight demonstrator programme, and supported 7 trial hydrogen transport projects to inform future investment decisions and prime export opportunities.

The government has also created Active Travel England, led by Olympic gold medallist Chris Boardman, and provided local authorities with £161 million, to deliver 134 first-rate schemes to develop new footways, cycle lanes and pedestrian crossings across England.

New consultations

To mark the one-year anniversary of the Transport Decarbonisation Plan, the government launched a new public consultation on phasing out the sale of new fossil-fuelled motorbikes and moped by 2035, or even earlier for some vehicles.

It also launched its Course to Zero consultation, seeking views on the best route to net zero emissions by 2050 for the UK’s domestic maritime sector.

It also published its second Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy, which sets out estimated investment, already committed from various funds, of almost £4 billion into active travel across the government until 2025, including £2 billion announced for active travel in 2020.