Taking Responsibility

Decarbonising transport emerges as a critical challenge in the race for sustainability. Graham Pointer, chair of the Association for Consultancy and Engineering’s transport group, shares his insights on the stumbling blocks and discusses what’s working well in the transition to decarbonisation of transport in the UK.

“Our industry is a key enabler for civilisation and is also the largest contributor to carbon emissions. All participants in the transport sector need to accept and embrace this responsibility to decarbonise and make a palpable change. Accepting responsibility is the first challenge to acknowledge.

We need to provide leadership so that government can collaborate with us, aligning policy that supports our aims for decarbonisation and unlocks reliable funding for important projects to make them happen.

No silver bullet: the collaborative endeavour

We already have a toolbox brimming with strategies, resources and innovative technologies. The obstacle is not about scarcity; it’s about alignment. How do we synchronise the use of these tools to make a real difference? So many other factors also come into play too from mode of transport, land use, surrounding infrastructure, and economic development strategies that bringing them together to work in harmony is a true challenge.

There are pockets of progress which include electrification of bus fleets and other pioneering initiatives like Jet Zero and standards like PAS2080. City-wide initiatives where rail infrastructure is supported by low carbon emission buses and trams like in Manchester and Edinburgh are leading the battle. Where the transition from each mode of transport is smooth and where possible, pleasant, clear wins are made.

Decarbonisation isn’t a solitary endeavour; there’s no one-size fits all silver bullet. It takes breaking down the silos and being people centric to make it work. The journeys and experiences of the customer must be central for it to work. This means looking at where the touch points are for each mode of transport ensuring smooth integration to make it both appealing and useful to people living and working in those communities.

Reliability and appealing

To encourage people to adopt low carbon travel habits, the alternatives must offer reliability and be an attractive alternative. This means considering providing services that can be depended on, if for example, buses are always late it is unlikely that people will use them. Similarly, if they are uncomfortable or journeys are considered too expensive, people are unlikely to give up their cars and opt for low carbon emission buses.

Equity and community focused

As we decarbonise, delivering equity so that everyone in the community is included and no-one is left behind, is the only way forward. Our transport network needs to serve communities so that all people can easily work, study and play irrespective of age or lack of mobility —it’s all got to be interconnected.

When new communities are planned and existing ones regenerated, there’s a great opportunity to instil a fairer, more sustainable landscape for all by looking at integration in terms of methods of transport as well as quality of life for our communities. Spaces and amenities can be introduced between transport transition points to enrich journeys to work or play. Cycle routes and traffic calming measures can be incorporated from the offset. Less parking spaces can be provided in designs and low emission zones can be planned in too. The transport industry needs to collaborate at the offset of urban design so that communities can thrive and decarbonisation goals are realised.

ACE’s advocacy lane: industry leadership

In my role at WSP and as chair of ACE’s transport group, I connect with transport professionals and leaders across the whole sector. ACE’s transport working group champions decarbonisation relentlessly. We advocate for clear policies and funding commitments from governments. Our policy and collaboration work must be upheld by industry leadership for decarbonisation to be realised. In my view, industry needs to rise to the challenge as the time is now, to steer us to a sustainable future.

In our upcoming group meetings, we will be exploring:

• Future Transport Infrastructure: future trends in transport and the effects these will have on transport infrastructure, as well as how to embrace the opportunities provided by new forms of mobility.
• Equitable Access through Transport: access to work, study and play through sustainable transport options, and how to increase connectivity and social value across the UK.

If you would like to join ACE’s transport group or other policy groups email: policyteam@acenet.co.uk