Time For Radical Rethink On Emissions Targets

Abstract

While active travel measures such as walking and cycling have wider socio-economic and health benefits, local authorities need to be targeting middle distance commuter and leisure trips to have any real impact on carbon reduction. Recent analysis of several local authorities' transport strategies has shown consistently that the measures set out are not even likely to achieve half of reductions that are needed by 2020. In some cases, councils are relying completely on technological vehicle improvements to solve their road transport emissions problems. This article proves that such reliance will ultimately only have limited effect as it ignores other key emissions factors such as journey distance and speed.