transport planning society bursary scheme 18 th november 2009 what is the role for buses in...

Transport Planning Society Bursary Scheme18th November 2009

What is the Role for Buses in Britain’s Future Low Carbon

Economy?

Laura Price

Introduction

• Low Carbon Transport: A Greener Future (DfT, July 2009)– What is the role for buses in the strategy?

– The balance between technology and behavioural change

• Has the Low Carbon Transport strategy got it right, or should buses be doing more?– The Bus Industry-led ‘Greener Journeys Initiative’

• Building the case for buses – why they should be playing a bigger role in our future low carbon economy

• Conclusion

The Low Carbon Transport Strategy (LCTS)

• What?– The LCTS outlines how the government intends to achieve the ‘low carbon

transport system of the future’

• Why?– The transport sector accounts for 21% of total UK emissions– Emissions have been rising consistently since 1990 with this trend projected to

continue

• When?– Projected reduction in transport emissions of 14% by 2020 compared to 2008– The Climate Change Act 2008 sets a target for reduction in UK emissions of 80%

by 2050

• How?– By ‘Supporting a shift to new technologies and cleaner fuels’ and ‘Promoting

lower carbon choices’– Technological change and Behavioural change

LCTS – Where do buses feature?

• Technological Change– Encouraging fuel efficient operation– Incentivising adoption of low carbon buses – ‘Green Bus Fund’

• Behavioural change– Buses as a ‘public transport alternative’– Paragraphs 4.17 and 4.18 only

• Little consideration of how buses can meet carbon reduction targets through changing the way we travel

• No mention of supporting bus infrastructure or how the provision of this ‘public transport alternative’ is to be improved

LCTS – Where do the savings come from?

• The measures contained within the LCTS are projected to save 85 million tonnes of CO2 by the third carbon budget period (to 2022)

• These savings are projected to arise from:– EU new car CO2 regulation:

• 35.1 million tonnes– 10% of transport fuel to come from renewable sources by 2020:

• 33.3 million tonnes– Complementary measures for cars:

• 3.7 million tonnes– SAFED for bus drivers:

• 1.0 million tonnes– Low carbon emission buses:

• 0.9 million tonnes

• Technology vs Behavioural Change – What role for Smarter Choices?

Should buses be doing more?

• The Greener Journeys One Billion Challenge– A quick and cost effective way to reduce carbon emissions

– Switching just 1 in 25 existing car journeys to bus or coach could save 2 million tonnes of CO2

– One billion fewer car journeys on our roads = 50% more CO2 savings from transport than planned by the government

– Achievable in just three years if everyone played their part!

Building a case for buses – why they should be higher priority

• Buses can be green too:– The £30 million Green Bus Fund to incentivise adoption of low carbon

buses

– Existing initiatives (e.g. Kilmarnock BioBus) plus further £70 million of planned investment

• Buses ease the cost of congestion:– Congestion costs the UK economy up to £20 billion each year

– LCTS and the questions of road space and road pricing

• Buses are easy to implement and easy to access:– ‘Proven technology’, the benefits of which can be realised immediately

– One of the DfT’s five strategic goals is to ‘promote greater equality of opportunity’ – buses are important in achieving this

In conclusion

• Whilst there is undoubtedly a need to ‘green’ the automobile, we are failing to maximise the potential of buses

• The LCTS focuses overwhelmingly on technological innovation as a way to decarbonise our transport system. However…

Buses have the potential to make a big contribution to the economy in terms of congestion savings and improving equality of opportunity (as long as they are given priority!)

• Buses are integral to the Smarter Choices agenda and can be instrumental in changing the way we travel. The question is, will the government accept this as a way forward?

Thank you for listening!