Pathways to Net Zero: Transport Planning in Action

Delivering solutions across the surface transport network – send us your ideas for talks, demos or workshops and help us shape this event

The inaugural Pathways to Net Zero: Transport Planning in Action event will take place at the Birmingham Council House on 29 January 2026, and will feature keynotes, case studies and expert panels to showcase the ways in which the surface transport network is changing to meet critical targets.

The policy context is challenging. The UK government aims to achieve net zero in transport across all sectors by 2050, driven by the 2021 Transport Decarbonisation Plan (TDP) and a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030, with vans following in 2035.

A complex systems challenge

Achieving a net zero surface transport network by 2050 involves a comprehensive, system-wide strategy. Key actions include accelerating the shift to zero-emission vehicles such as electric cars and hydrogen-powered heavy goods vehicles, rapidly expanding charging infrastructure, delivering an integrated transport strategy, improving public transport and encouraging active travel. 

These actions need to be supported by initiatives to influence public attitudes to travel – making it safe, easy and convenient to switch to non-private car modes, enabling a shift away from road expansion and a reduction traffic growth.

Solutions that focus on technology and electric vehicles have a critical role to play, but focusing solely on EVs underestimates the impact other transport related interventions can have. 

Diversifying options can help the UK to develop an optimised path to net zero – identifying approaches to transport decarbonisation that reduce more emissions while also delivering positive transport, health and social outcomes.

The challenge of growth 

Achieving a net zero transport network will be challenging in a policy environment defined by growth. Transport decarbonisation is poorly aligned with the forthcoming Road Investment Strategy (RIS3), which proposes a £25 billion spending budget for the Strategic Road Network (SRN) between April 2026 and March 2031. 

According to National Highways, a net zero Britain will still travel by road in 2050. National Highways own decarbonisation plan, outlined in the 2021 Net zero highways strategy, aims to achieve net zero for its own operations by 2030, net zero for construction and maintenance by 2040, and net zero carbon emissions from road users by 2050.

A continued reliance on roads for freight and for much transport in rural areas mans that a tricky balancing act will be needed. Investment strategies must focus on sustainable road maintenance and infrastructure design along with additional support for net zero motive power, while encouraging wide-ranging public and behavioural changes to achieve mode change leading to net zero goals. Achieving the UK’s 2050 overall net zero goal will also require new low carbon energy sources as well as reducing energy demand.

Call for Papers: closing date 3 November 2025

We want you to help us shape the event. Please send us your ideas and suggestions for presentations, demos and workshops (250 words max) by 3 November 2025 to juliana.orourke@landor.co.uk

Please include talk title, full speaker details and email address, and a short project overview

We’re keen to hear from net zero innovators working in the following areas:

•  A whole systems approach: decarbonising transport requires integrating transport planning with land use, energy, green finance, a focus on user behaviour change and digital connectivity. 

• Zero emissions vehicles: The UK has set ambitious targets for new cars and vans to be zero-emission by 2030, with heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) to follow from 2040. Plans include expanding EV charging infrastructure and developing hydrogen powered vehicles and increasing the use of biofuels

• Active travel: Encourage walking, cycling and wheeling through improved infrastructure and planning

• Public transport: Making public transport more integrated, accessible and safe and affordable

• Integrated networks: Delivering integrated transport networks rooted in stronger and smarter links between planning and transport 

• Behaviour change: encouraging people to shift from private car use to active travel and public transport, and to reduce overall travel. Strategies include raising awareness, providing incentives at and implementing travel planning at workplaces and new developments

• Reducing the need to travel: Integrate transport and land-use planning to create more localised communities where daily needs can be met without extensive travel

• Decarbonising infrastructure: the way transport networks are built, maintained and operated can help to reduce both the operational carbon emissions from transport use and the embodied carbon associated with creating and maintaining transport infrastructure itself, for example green street lighting, surface treatments and flood-friendly roadside verges

• Greening the public realm: creating cleaner, quieter, safer and more resilient roads and streets makes places more attractive for walking, wheeling and cycling

• Vision-led planning: plan development and transport infrastructure using an approach that limits road construction and car travel to help meet decarbonisation objectives and create more sustainable, accessible, equitable and healthy communities

Don't forget, we want you to help us shape the event. Please send us your ideas and suggestions for presentations, demos and workshops (250 words max) by 3 November 2025 to juliana.orourke@landor.co.uk