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Road to Zero? Too little, too late on climate change

BRIDGET FOX is not impressed with the government's environmental strategy

THE government has finally published its long-awaited Road to Zero report, setting out a strategy for moving Britain’s road transport sector to a low carbon future. 

There’s no doubt of the urgent need for such a move. Unlike other sectors, transport’s CO2 emissions continue to rise, putting our ability to meet future carbon budgets at risk.

Road traffic is responsible for up to 80 per cent of poisonous nitrogen oxides in urban areas, contributing to lethal and illegal air pollution levels. 

Electric vehicles (EVs) are an important part of the solution: they are zero emission at tail pipe, and even when powered by the most carbon intensive electricity, EVs still emit fewer greenhouse gases over their life cycle than a conventional diesel vehicle would do.

EV’s impact depends on how clean the manufacturing process is, how the electricity to power them is generated and how we manage waste batteries.

Road to Zero identifies electric vehicles as the way forward, with a supporting role for hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, and to a lesser extent for liquefied petroleum gas and compressed natural gas, with modern hybrids seen as an important way of helping motorists make the switch to clean technology. 

For individuals and in particular businesses and fleet operators to convert to low emission vehicles with confidence, there needs to be certainty of access to reliable and affordable fuelling.

One recent report looking at the demand for rapid charging points in London found that over 2,100 rapid-charge points would be needed to serve electrification of 25 per cent of the 108,700 taxis and private hire vehicles operating in the capital.

This far exceeds the planned provision of 300 rapid charging points by 2020.

Recognising that access to charging points is key, the strategy includes a £400 million charging infrastructure investment fund to help accelerate the roll-out of charging infrastructure, but this is not without its problems.

There are practical challenges in providing a public charging network, without encroaching on pavements or competing for kerb space with bikes and buses.

Requiring provision of publicly accessible off-street charging points as part of planning applications could make a valuable contribution.

Councils can assist by prioritising off street car parking spaces for charging electric vehicles. For example, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, part of a council car park in Poplar has been fitted with electric charging points for use by a car club.

While the commitment to invest in and promote electric charging points is welcome, overall the strategy fails to match the urgency of the situation. 

Ending the sale of conventional petrol and diesel vehicles is central to cleaning up transport emissions: but Road to Zero does not end their sale until 2040 — over 20 years from now. Giving concessions to keeping hybrids on the road which will water down the already inadequate 2040 target.

The confusion over the future of hybrids combined with the lack of clear transitional arrangements means industry and consumers still lack the certainty needed to kick-start the switch to electric.

Despite government rhetoric about being “a world leader in the zero emissions revolution,” and a sharp decline in new diesel cars being registered, the reality is that take up of electric cars is painfully slow.

In the first quarter of 2018, there were still more than twice as many new Ford Fiestas registered as all new low emission vehicles put together.

It’s not helped by the motor manufacturers being reluctant to promote EVs compared to the energy expended marketing fossil fuelled cars.

While around 30 per cent of consumers say they would consider buying an electric car, just 1.5 per cent of advertisement spend in 2017 was on zero emission models.

The very limited choice of electric cars, limited availability and long waiting times all contribute to low sales. 

Setting a 2040 target in the Road to Zero means another generation will pass before we have real action on cutting harmful CO2 emissions and cleaning up deadly vehicle pollution.

Interim 2030 targets for zero emission cars and vans are a small step forward, but not good enough. 

The strategy also lets the freight sector off the hook — a voluntary target of a 15 per cent cut in CO2 by 2025 is not nearly good enough.

Road freight accounts for a fifth of transport carbon emissions, even though it only makes up 5 per cent of road mileage.

Without an overall freight strategy that includes stretching and mandatory targets, there is a risk that rail freight, the safer, cleaner low-carbon option, will be hobbled by the ban on diesel-only locomotives and the halting of electrification, while little is done to cut the larger emissions from heavy goods vehicles.

We regret the slowing of the programme of main line rail electrification, and urge continued investment in rail electrification.

Electric trains assist with CO2 emissions reduction as well as improving air quality, and also reduce maintenance costs and increase the rail network’s capacity.

Supporting research and development of alternative fuels for diesel locomotives would make a positive contribution to the government’s clean growth plans.

We need action now: ending all sales of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030 is the latest that should be acceptable, bearing in mind that cars will stay on the road long after purchase.

Such a move would not only save lives but could help add £3 billion to the British economy and create 14,000 industry jobs, while reducing the current gap in meeting the country’s carbon budgets by up to 85 per cent, according to research from Green Alliance and WWF-UK.

However, electric cars are still cars: they won’t do anything to help reduce congestion or improve road safety.

The problems caused by car dependency, including social exclusion, physical inactivity and suburban sprawl, will still be with us.

They continue to produce damaging particulate matter from tyre and brake wear. 

Air pollution and transport: time to clear the air, the latest report from Campaign for Better Transport’s thought leadership programme Tracks, shows that more needs to be done to reduce emissions from all forms of road transport.

Alongside practical recommendations for buses and deliveries, it argues that much of the solution lies in measures to provide good quality networks for public transport, cycling and walking. 

Newer cars are only part of the solution: we need fewer cars too.

Bridget Fox is a sustainable transport campaigner for Campaign for Better Transport.

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