More than 50 organisations sign joint statement calling for urgent action on transport as extreme heat exposes Britain’s climate vulnerability
Campaign for Better Transport has gathered together a multi-sector coalition of more than 50 organisations representing public transport, walking, cycling, shared transport, climate, clean air, health, communities, equalities, workers and local economies to call on the Government to act urgently on transport in response to the climate emergency.
A joint statement by the coalition says:
“This summer’s heatwaves and wildfires are immediate, real-world manifestations of the climate emergency. The need for action is urgent. Transport is responsible for more carbon emissions than any other sector, so we call on the Government to fulfil the commitment it made in opposition and set a national trajectory for delivering a sustained modal shift in line with the sustainable transport hierarchy, increasing the proportion of journeys made by public transport, shared transport, walking, wheeling and cycling, alongside its commitment to a rail freight growth target.
“With the majority of journeys under five miles, this will benefit local communities, making it easier for people to get to shops, schools, health services and see friends and family. The climate emergency is also a health emergency, so this will ease pressure on the NHS, save money for the public purse and enable happier, healthier communities. Meanwhile, Government must resist calls to delay the transition to electric vehicles and take action to improve the resilience of transport networks to extreme weather.”
The joint statement has been made by: Campaign for Better Transport, Ashden Climate Solutions, Asthma + Lung UK, ASLEF, Aviation Environment Federation, Better Buses for West Yorkshire, Better Streets for Birmingham CIC, Bristol Airport Action Network, Bus Users UK, Campaign Against Climate Change, Campaign for National Parks, Campaign to Electrify Britain’s Railways, Campaign to Protect Rural England, CIHT, Clear the Air in Havering, Clean Cities, ClientEarth, Climate Catalyst, Climate Emergency UK, Climate Outreach, Community Rail Network, Community Transport Association, CoMoUK, Cycling UK, Freewheeling, Global Action Plan, Good Journey, Green Alliance, Greener Vision, Havering Climate Coalition, Healthy Air Coalition, JFG Comms, Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change, Liftshare.com, Living Streets, London Cycling Campaign, Manchester Friends of the Earth, Mobilityways, Mums for Lungs, New Economics Foundation, No Airport Expansion, Partnership for Active Travel, Transport and Health, Possible, Rail Forum, Rail Freight Group, RMT, Royal College of Physicians, Safe Landing, T&E, Transport Action Network, Transport and Health Science Group, UK100, UK Health Alliance on Climate Change, University of Bath, University of Leeds, Walk Wheel and Cycle Trust, Women in Mobility, Women in Transport and Young Mobility Network UG.
Ben Plowden, Chief Executive of Campaign for Better Transport, said: “That such a range of organisations have come together to make this statement shows the urgent need for stronger action in response to the climate emergency which has had such a devastating impact on communities across the country this summer. The heatwaves and wildfires, the harm to people, nature and infrastructure, are just a taste of things to come if we do not act urgently. The good news is that we know how to encourage a shift to low-carbon transport and we have the technology to do it. That shift will also have many other benefits, reducing the cost of living, increasing people’s access to opportunities, improving public health and boosting local economies.”
Professor Mumtaz Patel, President of the Royal College of Physicians, said: ‘Air pollution is one of the most significant environmental threats to health in the UK. For many patients, the consequences of poor air quality are not abstract environmental harms but worsening symptoms, hospital admissions and a reduced quality of life. Not only does air pollution create and worsen illness, but it also places huge avoidable demand on our already stretched health service.
‘Without urgent action to reduce emissions across all sectors, including transport, these impacts will become more severe and more costly. Government must invest in cleaner, healthier ways to travel, alongside continued efforts to decarbonise vehicles, if it is to protect the health of current and future generations.’
Lydia Horbury, CEO of Bus Users UK, said: “Climate action must also mean making public and active transport a reliable and attractive choice for everyone. For many people, particularly those who do not drive, public transport is essential to everyday life. As extreme weather becomes more frequent, we need transport networks that are not only helping to reduce emissions but are resilient enough to keep people moving when they need them most.”
Professor Greg Marsden, Director INFUZE, University of Leeds, said: “Action on reducing carbon emissions through mode shift delivers benefits across communities. This is a major opportunity to rethink place-making and build more resilient neighbourhoods, better equipped to manage the increasing extremes of our changing climate.”
Jo Field OBE, Chair of Women in Transport, said: “Women are often disproportionately affected by both the impacts of climate change and inadequate access to public transport. They are more likely to make complex journeys involving caring responsibilities, to depend upon public transport and walking, and to experience isolation and lack of access to employment and opportunities when transport it is unavailable. As extreme weather becomes more frequent, these inequalities risk becoming even more pronounced. Tackling the climate emergency therefore means ensuring that everyone can access sustainable transport, creating healthier, more connected communities where everyone can participate and thrive.”
Anna Krajinska, UK Director, T&E, said: “The UK is baking, and the warning signs couldn’t be clearer. The Government should be hitting the accelerator on cutting transport emissions, not the brakes. Crucially, that means accelerating the transition to EVs, not slowing it down. It’s good for consumers’ pockets, good for our energy security, and essential for the climate.”
Sue Percy CBE, Chief Executive, CIHT, said: “This summer’s extreme weather has shown why climate action and climate resilience must go hand in hand. The CIHT has recently published operational guides to dealing with climate disruption and is supporting local authorities with knowledge sharing via a new Highways Resilience and Response Forum. However, we need to tackle the root of the problem which is investing in resilient transport networks that can continue to connect people, places and businesses in the face of increasingly extreme weather.”
The statement has been signed by:
Ben Plowden, CEO, Campaign for Better Transport
Ashok Sinha, CEO, Ashden Climate Solutions
Jonathan Blades, Head of Policy and Public Affairs, Asthma + Lung UK
Dave Calfe, General Secretary, ASLEF
Tim Johnson, Director, Aviation Environment Federation
Gareth Forest, Campaign Chair, Better Buses for West Yorkshire
Paul Manzotti and Florence Cadge, Co-Chairs, Better Streets for Birmingham CIC
Richard Baxter, Chair, Bristol Airport Action Network
Lydia Horbury, CEO, Bus Users UK
Claire James, Campaigns Coordinator, Campaign Against Climate Change
Dr Rose O’Neill, Chief Executive, Campaign for National Parks
Noel Dolphin, Director, Campaign to Electrify Britain’s Railways
Elli Moody, Campaign to Protect Rural England
Sue Percy CBE, Chief Executive, CIHT
Oliver Lord, UK Director, Clean Cities
Sam Hunter Jones, System Team Lead for Mobility (Europe), ClientEarth
Ruth Kettle-Frisby, Clear the Air in Havering/Havering Climate Coalition
Emma Richardson, Head of Policy & Research, Climate Catalyst
Isaac Beevor, Partnerships Director, Climate Emergency UK
Rachael Orr, CEO, Climate Outreach
Chris Birks, Director of Policy and Communications, Community Rail Network
David Kelly, Head of Policy and Campaigns, Community Transport Association
Richard Dilks, Chief Executive, CoMoUK
Steve Brooks, Director of External Affairs, Cycling UK
Thomas Ableman, Founder, Freewheeling
Larissa Lockwood, Director of Campaigns and Community Action, Global Action Plan
Louise Dando, CEO, Good Journey
Roz Bulleid, Research and Policy Director, Green Alliance
Claire Haigh, Founder & CEO, Greener Vision
Dr Camilla Kingdon, Chair, Healthy Air Coalition
Jo Field OBE, Founder & Chief Executive, JFG Comms, and Chair, Women in Transport
Marina Romanello, Executive Director, Lancet Countdown on Health and Climate Change
Tanya Braun, Director of External Affairs, Living Streets
Tom Fyans, Chief Executive, London Cycling Campaign
Ali Clabburn, Chair, Mobilityways and Liftshare.com
Jemima Hartshorn, Founder and Director, Mums for Lungs
Danny Sriskandarajah, CEO, New Economics Foundation
Stephen Clarke, Co-Chair, No Airport Expansion
Ruth Gelletlie, Chair, Partnership for Active Travel, Transport and Health
Izzy Romilly, Head of Urban Transformations, Possible
Elaine Clark, Chief Executive, Rail Forum
Maggie Simpson, Director General, Rail Freight Group
Eddie Dempsey, General Secretary, RMT
Professor Mumtaz Patel, President, Royal College of Physicians
Finlay Asher, Co-founder and Think Tank Lead, Safe Landing
Anna Krajinska, UK Director, T&E
Abby Coften, Chief Executive, Transport Action Network
Dr Stephen Watkins, Co-Chair, Transport and Health Science Group
Philip Glanville, Director of Advocacy and Engagement, UK100
Hugh Montgomery OBE, Chair, UK Health Alliance on Climate Change
Pete Dyson, Researcher, University of Bath
Professor Greg Marsden, Director INFUZE, University of Leeds
Paul Twocock, Executive Director, Strategy and Engagement, Walk Wheel and Cycle Trust
Jennie Martin MBE, Organiser, Women in Mobility
Sonya Byers OBE, CEO, Women in Transport
Anna Filby, CEO and Founder, Young Mobility Network UG
ENDS
For further information please contact the press office on 07984 773 468 (calls only no texts) or communications@bettertransport.org.uk
Notes to Editors
- In 2025, domestic transport sector emissions increased by two per cent (3 MtCO2e), largely due to increased petrol and diesel use in road transport. Thirty-one per cent of net greenhouse gas emissions in the UK were from domestic transport. Twenty-two per cent of emissions were from the buildings and product uses sector, 13 per cent were from agriculture, 11 per cent from industry, ten per cent from electricity supply, seven per cent from fuel supply, six per cent from waste and 0.1 per cent of emissions were from land use, land use change and forestry.
- France aims for a 31 per cent reduction in transport emissions by 2030, alongside a 25 per cent increase in public transport, doubling rail freight and major expansion of cycling. Source: https://www.lemonde.fr/en/environment/article/2024/11/05/transport-housing-food-energy-government-sets-new-targets-for-reducing-france-s-greenhouse-gas-emissions_6731637_114.html
- Norway has had a national Zero-Growth Goal for passenger transport in its major urban areas since 2012/13. All growth in passenger transport should be absorbed by public transport, walking and cycling, rather than by additional car traffic. Source: https://www.regjeringen.no/contentassets/117831ad96524b9b9eaadf72d88d3704/en-gb/pdfs/stm202020210020000engpdfs.pdf
- Campaign for Better Transport operates in England and Wales. Campaign for Better Transport’s vision is for all communities to have access to high-quality, sustainable transport that meets their needs, improves quality of life, reduces inequality, and supports a vibrant, productive and decarbonised economy. Campaign for Better Transport Charitable Trust is a registered charity (1101929).
