Transport planners call for a review of major road scheme funding ahead of COP26

The Transport Planning Society (TPS) has urged government to review funding for high carbon road building projects

The Society's comments come in its response to the UK government’s Transport Decarbonisation Plan, which lays out how the government will decarbonise the transport industry and meet its net zero by 2050 ambition.

Mark Frost, Chair of Transport Planning Society, said:

"We welcomed the Transport Decarbonisation Plan – a world first plan for all modes of transport to be Net Zero by 2050.

"With two weeks to go until COP26 it’s crucial we shift away from our dependence on the car, particularly with the electric revolution and the potential for an avalanche of e-congestion and e-traffic onto the network."

Tom van Vuren, Chair of the TPS Policy Group, said:

"There is a disconnect in the policy document between the proposed interventions and the net-zero target that we need to achieve.

"Apart from immediate action to reduce emissions now, I want to see a more in-depth analysis of whether all initiatives combined will get us anywhere near that target, and what else might be required to do so.

"Rather than focus on what the Plan should have included, TPS’s response looks forward to COP26 and offers a number of recommendations for the government to act on leading up to the climate conference and beyond."

The Society's recommendations to government include:

More active travel funding must be committed each year.
The government should assess suspending new road building as an approach for England, or at least commit to a review of the current Road Investment Strategy.
Investment in infrastructure must be supported by behaviour change campaigns that encourage a modal shift in response. These campaigns must be sustained, not on/off activities linked to the success or otherwise of funding bids, and stress how important it is to move to sustainable forms of transport in the immediate future.
Economic levers should be reviewed to not only achieve fiscal outcomes, but also support travel behaviour change. For example, the government must consider a road pricing scheme to realise immediate carbon reduction from road travel that is still mainly dependent on the internal combustion engine.
A connected approach to spatial and transport planning for regional and local authorities outside London.
Future budgets redressing the imbalance in funding between roads and sustainable forms of transport.

TPS's response to the Transport Decarbonisation plan follows its 2020 ‘State of the Nations: Transport Planning for a Sustainable Future’ report, which laid out ten recommendations for government including withdrawing support for carbon intensive projects including road building, unhooking people from car dependence and reducing travel through better planning.

The Transport Planning Society celebrates Transport Planning Day every year to raise awareness of the role transport planning has in improving people’s lives, as well as showcasing examples of best practice from across the profession. TPS's theme for this year’s Transport Planning Day on 15th November is Equality, Diversity and Inclusion.

ENDS

Notes to editor