Have your say: make transport greener

Good morning

This week we welcomed the Government's new walking and cycling plan, which we hope will lead to easier, safer journeys on foot and by bike. But an even bigger plan - covering all modes of transport - is now being formulated by Government: the Transport Decarbonisation Plan.

There's no getting around it: when it comes to reducing carbon emissions, transport is not doing well. While emissions from the 'energy supply' sector have fallen by 62 per cent since 1990, emissions from transport have fallen by just three per cent.

The good news is that the Government has recognised this and resolved to act. It's putting together a Transport Decarbonisation Plan... and it wants to know what YOU think should be in it.

How do YOU think transport should reduce its carbon footprint?

The public consultation on the plan is a fairly short and simple questionnaire, but I think it's a unique opportunity to help secure a sustainable transport future - which is why I'm writing to you today.

Please take this chance to speak up for sustainable transport and give the Government your suggestions for how to improve it.

I've written a blog with some ideas for things you might include in your response to the consultation. It talks about why electric vehicles aren't enough by themselves to reduce transport's carbon emissions, and the importance of good, affordable public transport as well as walking and cycling. It also talks about reducing the need to travel - by building communities with high streets we can walk to, for instance, rather than out-of-town retail parks.

I hope that armed with these ideas and your own, you'll head over to the Government's questionnaire and fill it in. Let's take this chance to show how much we care about buses, trains and trams, walking and cycling, car-sharing and zero-emission vehicles.

Best wishes

Darren
Darren Shirley
Chief Executive, Campaign for Better Transport

P.S. After you've filled in the Government's questionnaire, I'd be very grateful if you could fill in our very short form to tell us that you've responded. This will help us to show that there's a strong movement speaking out for sustainable transport. Thank you!