Delivering the greener future
We want to help create a decarbonised transport sector in which vehicles are powered by electric batteries, hydrogen and sustainable fuels.
Decarbonising transport features prominently in the UK government’s plans for a green industrial revolution. Katie Chesworth outlines how we’re already helping to make progress.
The UK government’s 10-point plan for a green industrial revolution is a blueprint for green economic growth and delivering the country’s 2050 net-zero target.
The plan’s aim is to decarbonise the UK’s economy to address climate change, and doing this will create up to 250,000 jobs and level-up hard-hit regions. From accelerating the transition to electric vehicles to investing in zero-emission public transport and innovating for greener planes and ships, the transport sector features heavily.
A transport decarbonisation plan will be published shortly by the Department for Transport, and will provide further details on the transition to low-carbon technologies across the sector and reducing carbon-intensive travel.
Our direction of travel
At Mott MacDonald, we’re already travelling in the right direction towards a low-carbon future for transport and we have ambitious plans to quicken the pace of progress.
A look at four points on the government’s 10-point list demonstrates how we’re applying our skills, innovation and know-how to help our clients decarbonise.
Driving the growth of low-carbon hydrogen is point two and we’re innovating across our energy and transport sectors, most notably delivering the masterplan for the UK’s first multimodal hydrogen hub on Teesside. As part of our This is the Future campaign, we’ve demonstrated how hydrogen can help deliver affordable and clean energy.
Point four is accelerating the shift to zero-emission vehicles. We have exciting plans to help our clients enable infrastructure for electric vehicles (EVs) and are investing in developing them. This includes collaborating with our energy teams, who are working on the network capacity challenge of charging millions of EVs.
Meanwhile, our public transport experts are focused on delivering low-carbon solutions for buses, trains and trams. Their expertise in planning, structuring and decarbonising bus networks and infrastructure is supporting the government’s Bus Back Better strategy for England – aimed at simplifying fares, improving routes and frequencies and introducing thousands of zero-emission vehicles. On the railways, we’re developing tools and projects to help the sector develop the most efficient and effective ways to electrify and decarbonise, and deliver new infrastructure.
Our placemaking and active travel work supports point five – Green public transport, cycling and walking. Our vision for Bristol Temple Quarter, which is centred around the city’s mainline rail station, demonstrates the importance of combining public transport and urban planning to deliver sustainable regeneration solutions. Our Place-based approach to Net Zero shows how we can help deliver a viable, attractive alternative to the car.
Point 10 is focused on finance and innovation. The strength of our advisory role enables us to unlock funding through evidence-based analysis and advocacy with our clients. This is demonstrated by business case we developed for Carlisle Station and our masterplan for the Teesside multimodal hydrogen hub.
Delivering the greener future
Social outcomes are always important to us and we put people at the heart of our work. We want to help create better, greener places for people to live, play and work, and the infrastructure and connectivity they need throughout their lives.
What can you expect from us in the future? We will have helped create a decarbonised transport sector in which vehicles are powered by electric batteries, hydrogen and sustainable fuels. In many cities and towns, we will help reducing numbers of vehicles on the road, cutting congestion and revitalising our streets – helping to improve air quality for local communities and making it safer and more attractive to walk and cycle. We’ll continue to plan excellent, user-friendly public transport networks that enable people to leave the car at home, as well as demand-responsive alternatives in rural communities.
We’ll help accelerate progress on creating beautiful, functioning places and vibrant neighbourhoods, and digital connectivity and travel-demand management to reduce the need to always travel. We’ll maintain our focus on resilience against uncertainty and crises in our transport planning for the future. And we will continue to innovate, not only through technology, but through social innovation too.
It’s an approach that will help the government deliver its 10-point plan, generate jobs, improve livelihoods, wellbeing and equitable access, and create healthier greener places.
Katie Chesworth is Mott MacDonald’s transportation unit sustainability lead. To find out more, to work with us, or to consider how you can help deliver a green industrial revolution, please contact Katie.Chesworth@mottmac.com