Eight national charities and NGOs working to advance sustainable, inclusive transport and travel are shining a light on the huge social, economic and environmental benefits of shifting away from car-dominated travel and car dependency, on World Sustainable Transport Day (Tuesday 26 November).
With the government expected to start working towards a National Integrated Transport Strategy, the Sustainable Transport Alliance is encouraging policy and decision makers to recognise both the imperative for our climate and the benefits for people, communities and local economies of shifting journeys away from private cars, and the change in approach needed to enable this.
The Alliance is recommending that the forthcoming national strategy includes modal shift targets and a mode share pathway, increasing the role of public, community and shared transport and active travel. It is highlighting that strong leadership, and empowering and enabling local leaders and communities, is key to achieving an equitable, healthy transport future. See briefing paper.
With 78 per cent of miles travelled in England now car-based,[1] and a gaping ‘mobility divide’ emerging,[2] the Sustainable Transport Alliance is underlining that:
- Transport is the UK’s biggest source of emissions, most from cars and vans;[3]
- Investing in public transport, active travel and other sustainable travel modes is shown to boost local business and employment and offer huge economic returns;[4]
- Modal shift is essential to avoiding climate breakdown, while cutting air pollution and traffic, and is needed rapidly;[5]
- Three in 10 adults don’t have a car, and nearly half amongst those on the lowest incomes, disabled people and Black, Asian and minoritised ethnic groups;[6]
- Low-income and marginalised groups and disabled people travel far less, and will gain the most from boosting accessible alternatives to private car use.[7]
Further evidence and sources can be found in this compiled evidence sheet.
The Sustainable Transport Alliance comprises: Bus Users UK; Campaign for Better Transport; Community Rail Network; Community Transport Association; CoMoUK (for shared transport); Cycling UK; Living Streets; and Sustrans. The Alliance partners represent, support and facilitate:
- 4,500+ community groups, organisations and initiatives across the UK
- 61,000+ volunteers, officers and campaigners
- wide-ranging research, innovation, policy, infrastructure, transport services and community engagement initiatives.
Jools Townsend, chief executive of Community Rail Network, who chairs the Alliance, said: “We’re optimistic about the new government’s core ambitions for transport, and early indications of the alternatives to private car use being given greater priority. But there is much to do, shifting mindsets as well as policies, to enable the modal shift we need and open-up public and community transport, active travel and shared mobility to all. It’s a huge challenge that we’re encouraging policy and decision-makers at all levels to get behind, at pace, to help avoid climate breakdown. But it’s exciting too: there’s so much benefit that can be unlocked from a less car-dominated, more equitable transport system, in terms of employment, business and local economies, safe streets, healthy lifestyles and clean air, and everyone being able to access the opportunities they want. It’s time to get a shift on.”
Find out more about the work of the Sustainable Transport Alliance here.
[1] Department for Transport, 2024, National Travel Survey 2023
[2] IPPR, 2024, ‘Stats reveal stark mobility divide: Wealthiest in England travel far more than poorest amid rising car dependence’
[3] Department for Transport, 2021, Transport Decarbonisation Plan
[4] See collated evidence on p3-5 of the Sustainable Transport Alliance evidence sheet on Accelerating Modal Shift; see also recent reports by Rail Delivery Group on the Value of Rail and by Living Streets on the Pedestrian Pound
[5] Greener Transport Solutions claim there is an ‘emerging consensus’, from roundtables with academics and experts: see 2022, Pathways to Net Zero report. Also see: Green Alliance, 2021, Not going the extra mile; Transport for Quality of Life, 2021, The last chance saloon; Major of London’s target for a 27% reduction in car kms by 2030; The Scottish Government’s ‘20% reduction in car kms by 2030’
[6] NatCen, 2019, Access to Transport and Life Opportunities; also see Transport for the North, 2022, Transport-related social exclusion in the North of England
[7] See footnotes 2 and 5
