Transport policy in the climate crisis. Time for a radical rethink?

In 2021 the UK Department for Transport published the Transport Decarbonisation Plan, a multistep plan to achieve a net zero transport system by 2050. However, it appears that this ambition has been quietly scaled back in recent years.  A new report from Professor Greg Marsden reveals some hard truths about the UK transport system that need to be taken into account before it’s too late:

• Phasing out fossil fuel vehicle sales as planned is vitally important. Delaying these restrictions by as little as two years could double the size of the problem.

• The emissions involved in manufacturing greater and greater numbers of vehicles from scarce materials are significant and cannot be ignored.

As the rise in oil prices and global manufacturing costs continues to hike up the cost of living for people across the UK, the report calls for a change in path. Decarbonisation cannot be thought of as a separate consideration to how we get around. Investment in sustainable transport options improves the affordability, health and resilience of our communities and the productivity of the economy. There remain opportunities for a more radical and exciting rethink of how we access and use vehicles and move around. This report calls for a national task force to be established to explore this potential. 

At this TPS event, Greg will present the findings of his Overshoot report at the event to highlight that Business-as-Usual planning won’t and can’t meet our climate commitments. He will make the argument that people want something better - drawing on evidence from citizen's assemblies and other public engagement undertaken as part of the INFUZE project - and paint the picture of the opportunity for a fairer, more affordable, cleaner, and more economically productive set of futures.

Event agenda:

• In person and online.
• Hosted at Arup, 12 Wellington Place, Leeds, LS1 4AP
• 5.30pm for a 6pm start – running through to 7.30pm and networking until 8pm
• The livestreamed part of the event would be 6-7.30pm

Speakers:

• Chair: Nicola Kane, Director at Steer and Chair of the Transport Planning Society
• Keynote Speaker: Professor Greg Marsden, Professor of Transport Governance and INFUZE Programme Director, University of Leeds
• Panellists TBC