Meeting Report: Decarbonising Travel and Transport in Brighton and Hove

Decarbonising Travel and Transport in Brighton and Hove

A public meeting was held on Decarbonising Travel and Transport in Brighton and Hove, on 19 September 2024, at the Brighthelm Centre. The speakers were Rosie Allen, Policy Adviser at the Green Alliance, and Cllr Trevor Muten, Cabinet Member for Transport, Parking and Public Realm, Brighton and Hove City Council.

An audio recording of the event is available, segmented as below: introduction by Simon Maxwell; presentation by Rosie Allen; presentation by Trevor Muten; and open discussion .

Simon Maxwell opened the meeting. He reminded the audience that Climate:Change was a think-tank, a forum for dispassionate and evidence-based discussion. This was especially important on issues related to transport, which were complex, multi-dimensional and often politically fraught. Climate:Change had published a Briefing Paper on transport issues in the City by Rob Shepherd, providing background information, and exploring policy options. This can be found here.

Rosie Allen gave the national picture, focusing on policies to achieve a modal shift in travel choices. Her Powerpoint can be accessed as a pdf here. She noted that the UK was falling behind its legally mandated emission reduction targets, as set out in the 5th carbon budget to 2032. In the area of transport, 34% of emissions were not covered by any policy. Some progress had been made in relation to the electric vehicle mandate, but much remained to be done. The work of the Green Alliance Decarbonising Transport programme had modelled policy levers towards a 25% reduction in car miles driven.

The modelling work, carried out with Cardiff University, had investigated various scenarios, combining carrots and sticks, and covering urban and rural, as well as national and local options. A ‘balanced policy mix’ included elements of: higher cost of driving; road speed limits; congestion charging; parking charges; public transport fare reduction; public transport frequency; more teleworking; greater car occupancy; car clubs; more ebikes; and an increase in cycling. See Figure 1. Rosie made the point that transport options should be available, affordable and accessible if they were to work. Not all the options presented would have the same impact, of course. For example, an increase in cycling was highly desirable for health and environmental reasons, but would have little impact on carbon emissions.

Figure 1

Trevor Muten’s Powerpoint can be found as a pdf here. He situated the Council’s transport and travel priorities in the context of an overall vision for the City. With regard to transport, the vision was for fair and inclusive, accessible, sustainable, clean, joined-up transport choices to proud of, and a responsive, well run service for people to thrive. The Council was working on a new Local Transport Plan (LTP5), to be presented the Council Cabinet in March 2025; there would be extensive consultation.

A theme of the approach to transport and traffic was to think in an integrated, joined-up way across different modes of transport. For this purpose, and with specific reference to decarbonisation, the Council had adopted a Decarbonisation Playbook, which required local authorities to: understand the ‘emissions gap’ in their area; test the carbon impact of different transport outcomes; inform option generation and assessment;  and quantify the carbon impact of a strategy or plan.

Reviewing different transport areas, Cllr Muten talked about:

• The Enhanced Bus Partnership, designed to increase the use of buses, reduce journey times and increase reliability. He said that Brighton and Hove had one of the best and most heavily used bus networks outside London, and pointed to funding recently secured to improve charging infrastructure and purchase 16 fully electrified buses.

• Active Travel, where there were plans to improve local cycling and walking infrastructure (LCWIP) in different areas, including e.g. Lewes Rd and Valley Gardens, with 150 cycle hangars and an expansion of rental bikes.

• Electric Vehicle charging, where Brighton and Hove already led nationally, and with ambitious plans to add 2,000 EV charging locations across the City.

• Parking, with plans to decarbonise parking by reducing search times and reviewing parking charges to balance the needs of residents, businesses and visitors.

• Reimagining car use, by promoting car clubs.

• More and better low traffic areas, to reduce rat runs, with 7 low traffic areas already in place (some more than 15 years old), and other measures to keep traffic on main roads.

• Better junction design and maintenance, and improved air quality, including via the ultra low emission zone in North St and Western Rd.

• Accessibility as a priority in implementing all these measures.

Discussion ranged widely over the issues raised. Points were made about the characteristics of different transport modes and about policy choices; about the prioritisation and financing of actions; and about participation in the preparation of LTP5.

On transport modes, there were many voices in support of pedestrianisation, both in terms of pedestrianising more parts of the City Centre, but also, importantly, preventing pavements from being narrowed by new EV chargers, and other clutter. There was strong support for better cycling infrastructure, including both protected cycle lanes and more cycle storage facilities, for example near bus stops. Alarm was expressed about the ever-growing number of cars in Brighton and Hove, and whether the impetus to EVs was simply adding to the environmental burden of producing and maintaining cars. And there was support for environmental measures, like more street tree-planting. There was enthusiasm for the bus network (albeit with a request for better data about actual utilisation), and a discussion about both the opportunities for and limits to decarbonisation via EVs and hydrogen (for example, problems in supplying electric power in sufficient quantity to the three bus depots, and issues about hydrogen safety regulations).  Overall, the integrated approach to transport planning was strongly supported.

On prioritisation and financing, there was obviously work to do as LTP 5 was put together. For example, decarbonisation of the bus network was essential, but could cost £150m, if the upgrading of the depots and the extra cost of EV or hydrogen buses was taken into account. What kind of public budget was required, and what kind of private sector contribution of public/private partnerships could be envisaged?

On participation, there was obviously a strong demand for the greater involvement promised by Cllr Muten.

Closing the meeting, Simon Maxwell thanked the two speakers for authoritative and systematic presentations; and thanked the audience for a serious and worthwhile discussion.

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SM

20 September 2024