Detailed study of action needed to make city region a net zero carbon economy
A detailed project is underway to determine how Leeds City Region can decarbonise its transport sector and become a net zero carbon economy by 2038 at the latest.
The West Yorkshire Combined Authority and the Leeds City Region Enterprise Partnership (the LEP) are working with their partners in North Yorkshire to develop the Zero Carbon Transport Roadmap.
It is part of a wider programme, the North & West Yorkshire Emission Reduction Pathway, which will identify policies and strategies needed to decarbonise all sectors including power, construction and industry.
Today, transport is the region’s biggest producer of harmful emissions and that level has been forecast to rise by 28% over the next 20 years if no action is taken.
The Roadmap will cover all forms of transport including buses, the railways, cars, walking and cycling as well as taking into account forecasted changes to demand and capacity within communities across the City Region.
Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority and leader of Bradford Council, said: “Decarbonising our transport system is arguably one of the biggest challenges we face in realising our ambition to be a net zero carbon City Region by 2038 at the latest.
“This project will begin with a wide-ranging review of all our existing transport strategies and will then produce a timeline of actions needed in order to create a zero carbon transport system which works for everyone, regardless of where they live.”
The roadmap will cost £65,000 and is partly funded by the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy through the North East, Yorkshire and Humber Local Energy Hub.
Simon Pringle, chair of the Combined Authority’s Green Economy Panel, said: “The North & West Yorkshire Emission Reduction Pathway is a really important programme which will help inform the decisions we need to take in order to rapidly reduce future emissions across the City Region as a whole.
“Not only will it focus on practical ways we can decarbonise our transport, housing and industrial sectors but it will also look at how we can improve air quality and address noise pollution which can have a really negative impact on peoples’ lives.”
The results of the Zero Carbon Transport Roadmap project are expected to be published in May 2020.
The scope of the roadmap will not include aviation, which is classed as a national infrastructure issue, or emissions resulting from the way land is used such as agriculture.
