Visit our devolution and LGR hub for the latest information, support and resources
How are we integrating sustainability and resilience into transport plans?
LGA resources
We hosted a webinar on decarbonising transport in January 2023 to provide delegates with the opportunity to hear how they might be able to effectively tackle the challenges and opportunities created by decarbonising transport. Over 229 delegates heard from representatives at Brighton and Hove City Council, Mott MacDonald and Voi.
The Decarbonising Transport Action Learning Sets have brought together councillors and officers to address decarbonising transport and local transport planning.
- LGA Climate Change Programme – decarbonising transport action learning sets: Summary
- LGA Climate Change Programme – decarbonising transport action learning sets: Session one
- LGA Climate Change Programme – decarbonising transport action learning sets: Session two
- LGA Climate Change Programme – decarbonising transport action learning sets: Session three
- LGA Climate Change Programme – decarbonising transport action learning sets: Session four
- LGA Climate Change Programme – Decarbonising Transport Action Learning Sets: session five
- LGA Climate Change Programme – Decarbonising Transport Action Learning Sets: Participant Resource List
These briefings are designed to help councils set goals for reducing carbon emissions from transport and understanding a range of key options available to them to make the rapid progress required.
Case studies and notable practice
As part of their fleet decarbonisation drive, the shared service between South Cambridgeshire District and Cambridge City Council took delivery of a fully electric Faun Zoeller E-Rotopress in July 2022. The councils are working to replace bin lorries with electric or alternative fuel vehicles as existing diesel trucks come to the end of their working lives.
South Cambridgeshire District and Cambridge City Council: Zero carbon fleet drive
In 2020, Essex County Council appointed Jacobs and Essex Highways to develop a Sustainable School Travel Design Guide after identifying the need for greater guidance to optimise sustainable design.
Essex County Council: Sustainable School Travel Design Guide
Eleven new electric vehicle charge points are now available in Carlisle, as Carlisle City Council works to make the city more accessible for electric vehicle drivers.
Working with MacRebur and Shell as part of the ADEPT SMART Places Live Labs Programme, Cumbria County Council has introduced ‘plastic’ roads around the county using products which replace some of the bitumen with recycled waste plastic. They are the first in the world to trial MacRebur’s product and the first in Europe to trial Shell’s.
Cumbria County Council: Trialling innovative new plastic in roads products
Swindon Borough Council has developed a Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) that has helped secure the creation and maintenance of travel plans for new education, workplace, and residential developments. It obligates developers to fund initiatives through payment of a significant travel plan contribution to the council for it to resource implementation, or payment of a bond which repaid when the developer fulfils their obligations.
Lancashire County Council recognised that a planned highway capital surfacing programme was a highly carbon intensive programme of works, so begun a journey to ascertain the carbon output of the surfacing programme, record and measure changes made to reduce it, and develop tools to allow them to integrate carbon usage into the asset lifecycle modelling.
Lancashire County Council: CO2e assessment and reduction in carriageway resurfacing
Colchester eCargo bike library aims to break down barriers to the use of electric cargo (eCargo) bikes for deliveries instead of cars or vans. The Council got funding for 25 eCargo bikes and five electric trailers. 13 were given to 10 local organisations including Colchester Hospital and a new eCargo bike delivery service. Six are available for short term loans for local organisations, and the rest used by Council staff such as those in Neighbourhood services.
Swale Borough Council will now save more than 30 tonnes of carbon every year with a fleet of nine new electric vehicles.
Santander Cycles Leicester is a new public ebike share system for the city, owned by Leicester City Council, delivered by Ride On and supported by the Department for Transport (DfT) and Santander UK.
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea council moved from a resident parking permit structure with seven price bands to one which is more directly related to the CO2 emissions of the vehicle.
Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea: Emissions-based parking permits
Middlesbrough Council was the first area in the UK to allow a trial to enable the use of private rented e-scooters on its highway, following changes in legislation.
North Yorkshire County Council’s in-house development team has built a portal to automate and streamline service requests from parish clerks regarding highways defects and enable them to access real-time information on subsequent progress and repairs.
Highlighted pages
Climate change resources
Alongside the majority of councils, the LGA has declared a climate emergency. We offer a wide range of resources to help councils address environmental sustainability.
A local path to net zero
Councils want to work as partners with government, industry and communities to tackle climate change. They are intrinsic to transitioning our places and empowering our communities and businesses to net zero future.