Carbon Budget and Growth Delivery Plan published

Most actions in the transport section focus on the electrification of transport – especially EVs and charging infrastructure – and, worryingly, are planned to "make driving more affordable"

The Government (DESNZ) has published its Carbon Budget and Growth Delivery Plan, which sets out how the UK will continue to reduce emissions in a way that lowers bills and secures good jobs, in line with the 2008 Climate Change Act. 

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As part of the delivery plan package, Government has also published its response to the Climate Change Committee’s (CCC) 2025 Progress Report.

On transport policy, the delivery plan says: "The UK’s shift to a cleaner, more efficient and better integrated transport system is well underway. Building on its position as Europe’s largest EV market in 2024, the UK is on track to make clean and affordable travel the norm by 2037 – benefitting people up and down the country."

However, many of the plan's actions are focused on the electrification of transport – especially EVs and charging infrastructure – and, worryingly, planned "to make driving more affordable".

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

Many experts in the transport sector believe that achieving a net zero surface transport network by 2050 involves a comprehensive, system-wide strategy that goes beyond EVs, although the shift to zero-emission vehicles such as electric cars and hydrogen-powered heavy goods vehicles is important.

But we also need to deliver an integrated transport strategy, improve public transport and encourage 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.

According to the Zemo Partnership – which brings government, industry and experts together with one ultimate aim - to accelerate transport to zero emissions – transport remains the largest emitting sector, responsible for around a quarter of total UK greenhouse gas emissions.

Road transport contributes around 90% of that total, placing it at the forefront of the transition challenge, says Zemo. It notes: "The Plan confirms key policy commitments, including that all new cars and vans sold must be zero emission by 2035, supported by the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) sales mandate. For vans, the mandate requires 70% of new sales to be zero emission by 2030, rising to 100% by 2035. The Government also reconfirms the phase-out of non-zero emission HGVs by 2040.

"To support uptake, the Plan highlights further investment in charging infrastructure, with more than 86,000 public charging devices now in place and continued funding through the £381 million Local EV Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund. It also calls for wider measures to reduce emissions, including improved vehicle efficiency, greater car occupancy, and a shift towards public and active transport."

Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, said: "Today we are publishing our Carbon Budget and Growth Delivery Plan, setting out how we will continue to unlock the benefits of clean energy and climate action in line with the framework of the Climate Change Act - which has secured billions in investment since it was introduced in 2008.

"The focus of this plan is about the right incentives for people to benefit from clean energy. From electric vehicles to home heating, we want people to be better off from the shift to clean energy.

"That is how we deliver better lives for people today - from warmer homes and cleaner air to cheaper transport and increased access to nature - as we tackle the climate and nature crises to protect our home for future generations."