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associations association news

The future of clean roads

TransportEnergy works towards reducing greenhouse gas emissions from road transport as well as contributing to improved air quality

Following the Kyoto climate change conference in December 1997, the UK has a legally binding target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 12.5 per cent below 1990 levels by the period 2008 to 2012. This means a reduction equivalent to 27 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2). The UK also has a domestic aim of reducing CO2 emissions to 20 per cent below 1990 levels by 2010 and is committed to putting itself on the path to cut CO2 emissions by 60 per cent by about 2050.

To help the government meet this target, the Energy Saving Trust was established. As a non-profit company, it was initially founded to tackle domestic energy consumption. In 1996, a new division was developed with the specific aim of reducing greenhouse gas emissions from road transport as well as contributing to improved air quality in our cities and towns.

Known as TransportEnergy, it receives the majority of funding from Government (in particular, the Department for Transport and the Department for Trade and Industry), as well as the private sector. In Scotland and Wales, the Scottish Executive and Welsh Assembly Government wholly or partly fund TransportEnergy programmes.

How will this be achieved?
TransportEnergy is actively working with industry, the public sector and community through a range of programmes to:

Encourage the uptake of new cleaner vehicles and use of cleaner fuels by fleets and consumers
Clean up commercial diesel vehicles
Work with fleets to improve the efficient use of their vehicles as well as reducing travel

Emissions based grants
The Energy Saving Trust (EST) has responded to a joint Government consultation on the future of clean road vehicles, issued by the Department for Transport (DfT), Scottish Executive and the Welsh Assembly Government, with proposals to incentivise industry and consumers to choose cleaner, low carbon vehicles.Â Â

The Government’s Powering Future Vehicles strategy set a target of 10 per cent of all new cars sold to emit under 100 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometre by 2012, more stringent than the existing EU Voluntary Agreements. However, if the 2012 target is to be met, around 250,000 new vehicles will have to be sold within this low carbon emissions category.

Improving petrol and diesel cars
Philip Sellwood, Chief Executive of EST said: “We are therefore proposing to develop a Low Carbon Vehicles programme that phases grants according to the level of emissions with higher grants for the most efficient vehicles. These, for the first time, could include petrol and diesel cars, providing they meet stringent emissions tests.”

EST has also proposed that its advice, information and marketing play a more prominent role to propel the consumer demand for cleaner, lower-carbon vehicles.

“These moves will drive the market for the most efficient vehicles and continue to create a market for even more stringent carbon dioxide emissions,” Phillip said.

Consumer choice
Supporting EST’s activity, carbon dioxide labelling for cars will be phased in from next October by the automotive industry, coordinated by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. Similar to the A-G Colour-Coded labels that already exist for fridges, washing machines and dishwashers, this will help the consumer to choose the most fuel efficient and cleanest car available on the market.

EST is also recommending the development of its ‘New Vehicle Technology Fund’ programme to focus on demonstrating vehicles that are near to market, demonstrating fleets of very clean, low carbon vehicles, and participating in international demonstration projects.

Vehicles emit not only carbon dioxide. They also emit a range of other gases, which are known to endanger health. Air pollution in the UK brings forward the deaths of between 12,000 to 24,000 people each year (British Lung Foundation). EST therefore recommends a continuation of the current ‘CleanUp’ Programme, which incentivises the fitment of pollution reduction equipment to older, dirtier vehicles (mainly trucks and buses). In the longer term, EST supports the introduction of Low Emission ZonesÂ - geographic areas, which exclude highly polluting heavy good vehicles, initially in London.

For further information, visit www.transportenergy.org.uk