People and Place as enablers of Transport Decarbonisation

Professor Greg Marsden, Department of Civil & Environmental Engineeering, Faculty of Environment

Economics, Environmental Planning, Human Geography, Psychology, Sociology

Knowledge Transfer – Inward

The UK plan for decarbonisation of the UK transport network1 relies heavily on technology and decarbonisation of the national energy networks to achieve net zero – broadly assuming that travel behaviour does not need to change. In contrast, the Climate Change Committee estimates that meeting the 6th Carbon budget will require a 40% reduction in travel demand, so there is a growing realisation that behaviour change is necessary if we are to meet carbon targets, whilst continuing to meet societal needs. People and place therefore need to be at the centre of transport decarbonisation.

This programme will bring together the DecarboN8 partners with communities and public and private sector actors to test the extent to which design of the built environment can reinforce low-carbon travel behaviour and adaptability to future climate change.

This project will:

· Examine how technological and societal readiness influence the willingness of developers and infrastructure promoters to deliver net zero solutions.

· Identify the changes in policy, practice and market that would be needed to deliver transformation.

· Develop skills amongst practitioners.

· Develop awareness amongst key industry players.

· Create evidence to help drive personal behaviour change.

1 Decarbonising Transport: A Better, Greener Britain, Department for Transport, 14th July 2021.