Climate emergency – how do local authorities get people out of their cars? | Policy and insight (Climate Change Committee)
Many councils have acknowledged that their policies must address the climate emergency. Making far-reaching decisions on transport could make a substantial contribution to cutting carbon emissions but some decisions are easier than others.
From cars to bikes and buses
A key challenge councils must answer is just how much and how quickly should they get people out of their cars and onto bikes and buses? Especially since electric cars will soon become the norm and will be making significant contributions to cutting carbon emissions and some types of air pollution1. Undoubtedly some transport planners will be hoping that this means they won’t have to tackle car use. Unfortunately for them even conservative estimates of what is needed point to the need for some modal shift – a switch towards a more sustainable and less polluting form of transport.
