Net zero highways
An ambitious programme putting roads at the heart of Britain’s net zero future
Roads will be a vital part of zero carbon travel
- Most journeys are made by road
- Road travel will decarbonise fast, but there is more to do
- A net zero Britain will still travel by road in 2050
- Investment in Britain’s roads supports a thriving net zero economy
This plan is based on strong science and evidence. It aligns with:
- The 1.5°C reduction goal of the Paris Agreement
- The UK’s commitment to be a net zero economy by 2050
- Government’s Decarbonising Transport: A Better, Greener Britain (2021) and Industrial Decarbonisation Strategy
- The Committee on Climate Change’s sixth carbon budget
Building on existing progress
- 95% of our network is within 20 miles of an electric chargepoint today
- We have been measuring the carbon footprint of our schemes for 30 years
- We are Britain’s largest builder of cycleways having completed 150 schemes in the past five years
- We are part of a wider transport system that supports inter-modal travel
Our commitments - backed by immediate and sustained action:
Net zero for our own operations by 2030
Net zero for maintenance & construction by 2040
Net zero carbon travel on our roads by 2050
The Strategic Road Network (SRN) has a key role in net zero Britain
Today roads are seen by many to work against the ambitions of a zero carbon economy. Yet to deliver a net zero economy, our roads have to be net zero too. This is why:
Britain relies on roads today
While many see cars as a problem, roads and cars are an integral part of our transport system. 80% of families own a car today, almost nine out of ten passenger miles are travelled by road and 79% of freight goods move by road (Transport Statistics Great Britain: 2020). Road travel provides a convenient, low cost and practical way to travel to see family, to travel to work and to deliver goods around the UK.
Road travel will decarbonise fast
While road travel represents a higher carbon way to travel in the UK today, this is changing fast. Already, government has indicated that sale of new petrol and diesel cars will be phased out by 2030. Government’s Transport Decarbonisation Plan puts Britain on a trajectory to do the same for heavy goods vehicles from 2040. The future of road travel is a zero carbon one, powered by renewable electricity, hydrogen and biofuels.
A net zero Britain will still travel by road in 2050
While we support investment in all zero carbon transport options, investment in other forms of transport, such as rail, will make only a limited impact on how Britain moves. HS2 will take between 1 and 3% of traffic off the SRN, for example. This is why The Committee on Climate Change forecasts that traffic levels will be higher than today in 2050, even taking account of the ambitious actions in its Sixth Carbon Budget which we support.
Investment in Britain’s roads supports a thriving net zero economy
Today every £1 investment in the strategic road network returns over £2 to the economy. Our roads directly support sectors which employ 7.4 million people in the UK and contribute £314 billion in Gross Value Added to the economy. The industries that rely on the road network are expected to grow by 35% by 2030, which will generate an additional £110 billion of UK growth.
This plan aims to ensure our roads support the social and economic goals of our nation, while making sure we do so in an environmentally sound way.
Corporate emissions
Net zero 2030
Cutting our direct carbon emissions
Covering our network lighting, roadside equipment, travel and offices
Our first ambition is to eliminate emissions from all of our own operations. Together, these led to 82,000 tonnes of CO2e during 2020, projected to fall to to 50,000 tonnes CO2e in 2030 without direct action. In 2020 we achieved our commitment to only buy 100% certified renewable electricity. Our focus is now generating more of our energy on our own sites, decarbonising our travel and increasing the removal of carbon on our own sites.
100% electricity bought by a certified renewable tariff from 2020
Aim to generate 10% of our electricity from renewable sources on, or near to, our own sites by 2030
Plant at least 3 million trees on or near our land by by 2030
75% reduction in corporate emissions by 2025, compared to 2017/2018 baseline
75% of our cars and vans electric or hybrid by 2025
Our trajectory to net zero
% reduction in emissions
Baseline |
75% |
Net zero |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017/2018 | 2020 | 2025 | 2030 |
Key actions and anticipated impact
**Including business travel, commuting, purchases and waste.
N.B. Total is >100% due to the carbon removal in our green spaces.
Maintenance and construction emissions
Net zero by 2040
Cutting emissions from maintenance and construction
Covering the manufacture, transport and use of materials such as asphalt, cement, concrete and steel on our network
We are one of the UK’s largest buyers of construction materials, used to keep our road network in good condition and ready for the future. The emissions from the maintenance and construction of our network led to emissions of around 734 thousand tonnes of CO2e during 2020, which are projected to fall to around 350,000 tonnes in 2040 with no additional action from us. We have a significant opportunity to catalyse Britain’s construction industry to deliver the Committee on Climate Change’s call for the construction industry to be largely decarbonised by 2040. We will focus on the asphalt, cement and steel sectors. We will use a carbon management system to embed approaches that minimise emissions, including lean construction practices and the principles of the circular economy. We will also use digital technologies to increase the capacity of our existing network minimising new construction.
All construction plant and compounds zero emissions by 2030
A 0-10% reduction by 2025 compared to 2020
Net zero part of MCHW and DMRB by end 2022 and 2025
A near zero construction roadmap in 2022
UK’s first near zero road scheme starts in 2025 – opening by 2035
A 40-50% reduction by 2030 compared to 2020
Our trajectory to net zero*
% reduction in emissions
Baseline |
0-10% |
40-50% |
70-80% |
Net zero |
| 2020 | 2025 | 2030 | 2035 | 2040 |
* The trajectory is based on the rate of maintenance and construction activity committed to between 2020 and 2025 continuing at the same rate until 2050
Key actions and anticipated impact
Road user emissions
Net zero by 2050
Net zero carbon travel on our roads
Covering emissions from the vehicles using the strategic road network
We have set an ambition for all of our customers to be travelling using net zero transport by 2050 in line with the UK Climate Change Act. Many of the actions that will deliver this ambition are out of our direct control, but that does not mean we cannot play our part. Our priorities are to help roll out solutions to decarbonise HGVs, and support the uptake of electric cars and vans. We will also continue our work integrating the SRN with other transport modes, whilst working to improve the efficiency of the network.
Report in 2023 how we can help reduce empty lorry movements
Present a report to the Secretary of State for Transport on global HGV technology trials and our proposals for UK trials in 2022
Publish a blueprint for EV charging services and energy storage by 2023
Have a preferred investment plan for HGV charging by 2028, for RP4 implementation
Publish a plan to improve public transport on the SRN in 2023 and implement through RP3
Emissions reduced to between 20-7 MtCO2e by 2035
Our trajectory to net zero*
Estimated million tonnes of Carbon Dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e) emissions
33 |
31-26 |
25-15 |
20-7 |
8-3 |
5-1 |
Net zero |
| 2020 | 2025 | 2030 | 2035 | 2040 | 2045 | 2050 |
| 2020 |  33 |
| 2025 | 31-26 |
| 2030 | 25-15 |
| 2035 | 20-7 |
| 2040 | 8-3 |
| 2045 | 5-1 |
| 2050 | Net Zero |
* In line with the DfT’s Decarbonising Transport: A Better, Greener Britain (2021).
Roadmap
Our indicative roadmap
While our 2030-40-50 targets drive this plan, we also have developed an interim trajectory, shown here. These will drive immediate action and provide an indicator of progress.
2020
Corporate emissions
Road user emissions
2021
Road user emissions
2022
Corporate emissions
Maintenance and construction emissions
2023
Road user emissions
2025
Corporate emissions
Maintenance and construction emissions
Road user emissions
2027
Corporate emissions
2030
Corporate emissions
Maintenance and construction emissions
Road user emissions
2035
Maintenance and construction emissions
Road user emissions
2040
Corporate emissions
Maintenance and construction emissions
Road user emissions
2045
Corporate emissions
Maintenance and construction emissions
Road user emissions
2050
Road user emissions
