11 September 2020 Press Release

Bikes, buses and walking – the future of travel in Essex?

Almost a third of greenhouse gases in Essex come from transport, the Essex Climate Action Commission heard this week.

Without action to reduce the county’s carbon emissions, temperatures are set to rise to catastrophic levels in just 25 years.

The impact of such climate change in Essex would lead to water shortages, more flooding and the degradation of agricultural land.

This week, at the third meeting of the Essex Climate Action Commission, which brings together experts on climate change, from academics to scientists to business leaders, commissioners discussed how dramatic changes to transport in Essex could help reduce the county’s carbon emissions.

Commissioners received a presentation from Tracey Vickers, Head of Sustainable Transport at Essex County Council who said: “The most sustainable form of travel is no travel at all, but people will always need to travel – to work, to school, to the shops – rebuilding the local economy.

“Where people must travel, we need to encourage modal shift into active travel, such as walking and cycling, whilst also supporting electrification to decarbonise getting from A to B as much as possible.”

A range of other potential measures to reduce unnecessary car use was discussed at the meeting. Transport needs to be Safer, Greener, Healthier - protecting residents and our environment. These measures included expanding Essex’s cycle network, growing electric vehicle charging capacity and new ‘park and choose’ schemes where schemes are developed to facilitate onward travel by bicycle, scooter or on foot.

Chair of the Commission, Lord Randall, said: “We must take action now to reduce our carbon footprint in Essex. With almost a third of greenhouse gases coming from transport, we need to take a serious look at how we are moving about the county and how we can make our transport more sustainable. There is no time to waste – we need to make changes today before it’s too late.”

The Commission agreed a range of recommendations to put forward to the Council, with rebuilding public transport and increased cycling and walking as top priorities.

The Commission will make its full set of recommendations on a range of matters - transport, energy, waste, land use, green infrastructure and the built environment - to Essex County Council cabinet for consideration by the end of its first year.