Overshoot: An analysis of progress, risks and opportunities for decarbonising surface transport

UK transport system needs a radical rethink to meet Net Zero commitments

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 with no explanation.  

A new report from 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.

Greg Marsden will share key findings and recommendations from the report in a webinar on 19 May 12:00 – 13:00. Register to attend