UK Government Urged to Cut Car Use and Boost Active Travel After Extreme Heatwaves
| Coalition demand | 54 UK civil society groups called for national targets to shift travel from private cars to walking, cycling, and public transport. |
|---|---|
| Emissions impact | Domestic transport is the UK's largest emitting sector, generating nearly one-third of net greenhouse gas emissions. |
| Emissions trend | UK transport emissions grew by 2% year-on-year in the previous year's statistics. |
| Policy shift | Labour dropped pre-2024 election promises to set specific targets for reducing car trips and increasing public transport use. |
| Government defense | The Department for Transport cited £4.5 billion for cycling and walking and £7.5 billion backing zero-emission vehicles. |
A coalition of 54 civil society organizations in the United Kingdom has urged the British government to set official targets to decrease private automobile reliance and promote walking, cycling, and public transit, following a summer marked by severe heatwaves and wildfires.
The joint intervention, coordinated by the advocacy group Campaign for Better Transport, highlights the necessity of reducing carbon output from domestic transportation. In the previous year, domestic travel was responsible for nearly one-third of the United Kingdom’s net greenhouse gas emissions, representing the largest contributing sector in the country. Data from that period also showed a 2 percent year-on-year increase in transport-related emissions.
Advocates argued that the summer’s extreme heat and wildfires illustrated the immediate effects of climate change on infrastructure, nature, and public health. Ben Plowden, chief executive of the Campaign for Better Transport, stated that these environmental events, combined with oil price increases linked to military conflict between the United States and Iran, have heightened the urgency for policy reform.
The coalition is seeking a structural shift in national travel patterns, pointing out that a majority of passenger trips in the UK span less than five miles. The groups called on central authorities to set explicit goals for increasing the share of journeys completed on foot, by bicycle, on public transport, and through shared mobility services, while also raising the volume of freight moved by rail.
The demand follows criticism regarding the current political administration’s direction. Prior to the 2024 general election, the Labour Party pledged to introduce specific targets for shifting travel habits away from private motor vehicles and toward active travel options. However, by this summer, the government’s official strategy for walking and cycling contained no broader targets to lower car usage or increase public transit trips.
Plowden urged central authorities to provide the necessary framework and local funding, emphasizing that government action should be driven by “setting an overall target” to enable changes in public travel choices. The statement also endorsed expanding the adoption of electric vehicles.
In response, a spokesperson for the UK Department for Transport said the government was focusing on providing better alternatives rather than limiting mobility. The official noted existing measures, including a £4.5 billion investment in walking and cycling infrastructure, a £2 maximum cap on bus fares, a freeze on rail fares, and £7.5 billion dedicated to supporting zero-emission vehicle adoption.
Background
In the United Kingdom, domestic transport generates more greenhouse gas emissions than any other economic sector. While the UK government has introduced financial packages for clean vehicles and local transport initiatives, climate groups argue that technological shifts like electric vehicles are insufficient without overall reductions in private vehicle travel. Prior to taking office in 2024, the Labour Party had outlined plans to establish modal shift targets, but subsequent policy documents omitted specific targets for reducing car use nationwide.
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