London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

UK Publishes Plans To Decarbonise Transport By Mid-Century

UK Publishes Plans To Decarbonise Transport By Mid-Century

UK Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the proposals would provide a "credible pathway" for the whole transport sector to reach net zero by mid-century.
Britain unveiled plans Wednesday to decarbonise its transport systems, phasing out the sale of all polluting road vehicles by 2040 and committing the aviation sector to a 2050 net zero emissions target.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said the proposals would provide a "credible pathway" for the whole transport sector to reach net zero by mid-century, as the country prepares to host the crucial COP26 climate summit in November.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson last year announced a 10-point plan for "a green industrial revolution" to tackle climate change, which included banning petrol and diesel new vehicle sales by 2030.

The government said it will now phase out the sale of heavier vehicles over the following decade after that -- or earlier if a faster transition seems feasible.

Meanwhile, it will set the target of achieving carbon neutrality for domestic flights and all airports in England by 2040, and for international flights by 2050.

Its "Jet Zero consultation" being launched will explore the rapid development of emerging clean technologies.

"We must deliver a step change in the breadth and scale of our ambition to reduce transport's GHG (greenhouse gases) emissions to reach net zero," Shapps outlined in a written statement to parliament.

"The plan published today is genuinely high ambition -- technically and feasibly -- for all areas of transport," he added.

Shapps noted that wholesale decarbonisation will partly rely on future transport technology, coupled with behavioural and societal change.

As part of the push the government said it has brought forward the target date for its fleet of 40,000 cars and vans to be fully zero emission to 2027, three years earlier than previously planned.

The announcement comes ahead of Britain hosting November's COP26 UN summit in Glasgow, Scotland, where it hopes other countries will agree to similarly ambitious targets.

Business lobby group the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) broadly welcomed the measures but warned they must be accompanied by credible plans to accelerate the development of clean technologies.

Environmental campaigners Greenpeace UK also welcomed the aims but urged the government to focus beyond roads to rail and other "active transport".

"With aviation, the net zero targets are welcome, but getting there through technological advances alone is a very big bet on very long odds," Doug Parr, its chief scientist, added.

"We need a mechanism to achieve those same emissions cuts if the advances don't materialise, and that mechanism can't be offsetting."
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×