Zemo publish roadmap to deliver net zero transport

Zemo Partnership have today published a roadmap for net zero transport which provides a vision of how  the government and the road transport sector can work together to deliver a sustainable transport system in the near future.

Zemo’s Managing Director, Claire Haigh, said: ‘Policy changes and uncertainty are damaging and will slow down the transition. We need to coalesce around a shared vision of the future and, together, agree the finer details of policies to avoid future, unhelpful turbulence.

‘The publication of the Delivery Roadmap for Net Zero Transport is a key staging post in a process that has brought together so many experts who are amongst our membership.

‘This is not an end-point, but a key reference on which we will build; to develop the finer details of the policies necessary to accelerate transport’s transition.’

The document posits that the steps that have so far been taken towards reducing emissions from the transport sector either need further reinforcement (the ZEV mandate), lack ambition (The Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation) or suffer from major gaps in policy (HGVs, vans, buses, coaches, and low-carbon fuels).

The roadmap focusses on both personal mobility, public mobility and the delivery sector. It addresses these three areas under chapters such as as ‘Decarbonise the Existing Fleet’ and ‘Promote Low Carbon Travel Choices ‘.

It also  discusses the case for charging for road use, claiming new policies are needed to manage demand for road use.

The Roadmap points to the areas where these policy interventions are most urgently needed. These include measures to:

• Accelerate the rollout of electric vehicles by working with the private sector to identify how many and what types of chargers are needed and where, and ensure fairness in VAT rates for charging.  
• Decarbonise the existing fleet with a package of measures to boost production and demand for low carbon fuels. 
• Encourage low carbon travel choices by providing greater support and information on walking, cycling, public transport, car clubs and lift sharing. 
• Direct policy and funding to close skills gaps and speed up reskilling and upskilling by reforming the Apprenticeship Levy and introducing a new skills passport.
• Unlock green finance by improving lenders’ perceptions of risk and facilitating the use of lower risk financing options

Council for Net Zero Transport Chair, the Rt Hon Lord Deben said: ‘Addressing transport emissions is a critical part of tackling the existential threat of climate change.

‘The transport transition is a multi-faceted and complex challenge which is why we need to bring people with the widest range of perspectives together and to harness the power of key organisations with the agency and resources to deliver the necessary changes.

‘The publication of this Roadmap is a necessary step in defining a vision around which we can coalesce and move forward.’

The full report can be read here.