This Sustainability Delivery Group Expert Talk will see Matt Tooby, Client Director, Highways (Infrastructure Division) at Atkins, discuss decarbonising the road networks.

Despite only making up 2% of UK roads, the Strategic Road Network (SRN) takes a third of all road users. Traffic growth on the SRN is forecast to grow by as much as 59% 2050. It is, therefore, inevitable that the SRN will play a critical role in any future transport system. But what does the future hold for the SRN in a country aspiring to reach net zero by 2050? Can we solely rely on the adoption of electric vehicles to deliver a decarbonised SRN? What happens in the interim while we wait for EVs to dominate our car ownership? What role does the strategic road infrastructure itself play in shaping the future of how we travel? All of this needs to be considered and addressed through policy and practice if we are going to meet the UK Government’s Net Zero 2050 targets.

Increased legal scrutiny of policy, particularly following the Heathrow Judgement

Scheme promotion – business case development

Increased pressure on project consenting process with a climate agenda

Baseline data collation – getting the basics right

Decarbonising construction – how to get the supply chain onboard

Whole-life cycle understanding of our infrastructure – let’s talk about O&M

Influencing behaviour and choice – what role does the SRN infrastructure need to play in shaping driver vehicle choice and behaviour?

Nod to coronavirus – does this change everything with regards to demand and people’s acceptance of governmental intervention (transport architect)

Decarbonising the Road Networks