Introductory remarks

Thank you Stephen for that kind introduction (Stephen Joseph OBE, Conference Chair & Exec Director of “Campaign for Better Transport”) and thank you also for inviting me along today - it's a genuine pleasure to be taking part in this important event

Seeing that I was down in the programme for a 20 minute speaking slot I was reminded of the words of Lord Brabazon, an early 20th century politician and aviation pioneer.

When asked for his views on speechmaking, he replied: “If you cannot say what you are going to say in 20 minutes, you should go away and write a book about it.”

Well, I have no plans to be an author, and I know you have a packed schedule, so I shall do my best to keep to that 20 minute limit.

Transport Matters

Not only do I feel hugely privileged to be the Transport Minister – I'm also immensely proud to be the son of a bus driver.

I suppose you could say that transport is in my DNA. And what really excites me about the sector is its absolute and fundamental centrality to our 21st century world.

Good transport can change our lives and our communities for the better – it can spread prosperity, promote inclusion and open up life changing opportunities.

Put simply, transport matters.

De-carbonising transport – the only game in town

But I also recognise its impact on the environment we all share, especially in terms of CO2 emissions.

So we have to de-carbonise transport as much as we can. That's the future, that's the only game in town – faced with the challenge of climate change, it simply has to be.

Now, there are some issues that can define an age and shape a generation – I regard climate change as one of those issues. It's real, it's happening and it's everyone's business.

And, with greenhouse gas emissions from transport representing 21% of total UK domestic emissions, this government and my department take our part in tackling climate change with the utmost seriousness.

That's why we led the world by adopting a legally binding target to cut all greenhouse gases by at least 80% by 2050 (against a 1990 baseline).

And it's why we have just launched the next stage of our Act on CO2 Campaign aimed at getting drivers to reduce their mileage by five miles a week.

It's also why we recently set out our ambitious, but deliverable, strategy for cutting the carbon emissions from transport: “Low carbon transport: a greener future.”

In setting out our vision for a cleaner, greener tomorrow, the strategy identifies national policies and initiatives designed to cut carbon – everything from investing in, and promoting, public transport to supporting the development, manufacture and purchase of ultra-low carbon vehicles.

It also highlights the need to work internationally in our efforts to deal with a climate change challenge that is global both in nature and impact.

Think global, act local

But our strategy is also rooted in that truism of our inter-dependent 21st century world - think global act local .

In other words, we recognise that local authorities have a key role to play in de-carbonising transport. And, when you consider the evidence, it's little wonder that this is the case.

For example - most journeys are short. 40% are less than two miles and 68% less than five miles.

What's more, most take place at least in part on infrastructure or services which are the responsibility of local authorities.   

Local authorities are especially important partners in influencing the pattern of journeys and development.  They have a key role to play:

• through the transport services they provide via the schemes and ways of travelling they promote
• and by the way they manage their networks.

It is for all these reasons that local action by local communities is such a crucial strand of our low carbon strategy.

Progressive Partnership

I am convinced that central government cannot and must not work alone in trying to cut transport emissions.

The challenge we face is so complex, the need to meet it so urgent, that we have to come together and work together.

And, for me, that means a progressive partnership – one that encompasses local, regional and national levels.

So, a key Government priority is to enable and empower our regional and local partners. Let me walk you through just a few of the things being done.

We've introduced the Local Transport Act - a piece of legislation that gives local authorities the tools they need to deliver integrated transport services that meet local needs, for example, by working more closely with bus operators.

Another step we've taken is to help councils promote greener transport choices.

For example, we've brought in new measures so that local authorities can put in place certain road signs – such as those for car club parking spaces, electric car charging points, and for cyclists – without the need for the Government to approve their use individually.

We are also supporting regions and local authorities to cut carbon by spreading skills and knowledge. And today I can announce the publication of a new best practice guide on sustainable, low carbon, travel.

This guide is designed to help local authorities deliver lower cost, lower carbon travel initiatives – initiatives that can result in a range of local benefits from better personal health to improved social inclusion.

I'd encourage chief executives to read this guide and champion this approach within their local authority, not just in transport but across the spectrum of responsibilities.  

Incentivising delivery is another area in which we are moving forward. Take our major cities. Arguably, these are where the greatest challenges and opportunities for carbon reduction are likely to arise.

But we are also working with most major cities on “Multi Area Agreements” to ensure that transport and climate change policies are planned as part of wider programmes - Leeds and Manchester have been selected as forerunner city regions and have put forward plans for more radical change in their areas.

Then there are “Local Area Agreements”, the main vehicle through which government departments agree priorities for improvement with individual local areas led by local authorities.

These agreements show just how seriously our local partners take climate change. Out of 152 local authorities, 102 have selected National Indicator 186 – measuring the per capita reduction in CO2 emissions in the relevant area. In plain English, that means they've made cutting carbon a priority issue.

I regard that as very welcome progress – which is why I'd like to see action to reduce carbon emissions being further prioritised in the next round of Local Transport Plans and in Integrated Regional Strategies.

Joined-up action

A progressive partnership between central government and local government can play a huge part in modernising our transport networks and safeguarding our environment – of that I am absolutely persuaded.

But to maximise the positive impact of such a partnership we have to engage in what I call joined-up action. Let me briefly explain what I mean by that.

Yes, the decisions taken by local authorities and regions about transport services obviously have a direct influence on the environment. But the same is true of the choices they make in other areas.

For instance, decisions about the provision and location of local government services – such as increasing online access – can affect the travel patterns of local people who depend on and use those services

Decisions taken by local authorities as major employers can heavily influence the ways in which their staff make the journey to and from work.

One example is the cycle facilities they provide – and I'll come to this in more detail later on when I speak about our new Cycle to Work Guarantee. Another is the "workplace parking levy" – the country's first will come into force in Nottingham in 2012, with money raised going towards the Nottingham Tram extension.

Then there are spatial planning decisions, which can impact on everything from the location of schools, hospitals and housing to the building of retail developments and industrial parks – which in turn impacts on the need for transport services.

So when it comes to cutting emissions local authorities need to look beyond the usual suspects and take the kind of joined-action needed to meet what is truly a joined-up challenge.

Investing in a low carbon future - Sustainable Travel Towns

Building a low carbon future means investing in a low carbon future – and our Sustainable Travel Towns programme is a prime example of our commitment to this principle.

This radical programme helps local authorities improve and promote sustainable means of travel such as walking, cycling and buses.

And it works - in the past five years the three Sustainable Travel Towns of Darlington, Peterborough and Worcester have seen car trips fall by around 9%, walking increase some 14%, and cycling increase by 12%.

Cycling

To build on the success of cycling from the Sustainable Travel Towns, the Prime Minister committed in Building Britain's Future to publish an Active Travel Strategy and National Cycling Plan by the end of the year. This will help to deliver a cycling revolution across the country and ensure that cycling is a mainstream form of personal transport. 

The main-streaming of cycling is very much part and parcel of the thinking behind our Cycling Demonstration Towns.

And again, local communities are helping to make this groundbreaking innovation a success. In fact, across the six CDTs, cycling levels increased on average by 27% over the first three years of the project.

On the back of those impressive results I can announce my approval of £4 million worth of new cycling initiatives as part of this year's £60 million investment through Cycling England.

As well as encouraging a greater take up of cycling in the Cycling Towns, this funding will support a new bike and leisure initiative in the Peak District National Park.

Cycling has to be better integrated into our transport networks – so we've just unveiled a £14 million package to transform facilities for cyclists at rail stations.

And today I am announcing that the Department will be providing Sustrans with a further £6 million this year to build cycling and walking links to schools, making it easier for children, and others living nearby, to travel on foot or by bike.  Sustrans will also be installing cycle parking.

We have also just launched a ‘Cycle to Work Guarantee' for all leading major employers across the public and private sectors.

This will commit employers to provide their staff with safe bike storage, changing facilities and access to the Government's generous tax break scheme - 'Cycle to Work' - for new bikes and cycling equipment.

I think our new Guarantee is an exciting opportunity with enormous potential. And I'm pleased to say that more than 70 major employers have already pledged to implement the new guarantee - from government departments to local authorities, from NHS hospitals to private companies like BSkyB and EON.

Local authorities are often the biggest employers in their areas, so if your authority hasn't signed up yet then why not do it today? Just log onto  www.cycletoworkguarantee.org.uk. – it couldn't be easier.

Encouraging and supporting people to cycle isn't just good for the people who get on their bikes – it's good for local authorities too. And that's because it helps them meet key LAA indicators (Local Area Agreement) such as obesity, health and, air quality.

Cycling really can make a huge difference in efforts to deliver sustainable travel and healthier communities– so I'd encourage all of our local authorities to seize the opportunities it brings.

The role of buses

Earlier I mentioned the part played by buses in sustainable travel. Buses account for some 5.2 billion passenger journeys a year in Britain. In fact, bus use is at its highest level for two decades.

So buses have a vitally important role – hence our investment in bus services stands at £2.5 billion a year.

As part of a rolling national bus tour - and disguised as a “mystery traveller” - I've been experiencing for myself what it's like to use and depend on our country's bus networks and services.

During the tour, I intend to identify and commend good services. But I'll also shine a light on those services that fall below the quality passengers have a right to expect.

It's early days yet but, if there's one lesson I've already learned during my travels, it's this – encouraging more people on to our buses is the right thing to do….both for a sustainable transport system and a for sustainable environment.

And one way to encourage even more people onto our buses is to show that, as well as being the smart choice for the passenger, they are the also the smart choice for the environment.

Our extension of SAFED - the Safe & Fuel Efficient Driving Scheme – to buses has the potential to deliver major improvements both to safety and to fuel efficiency.

And our recent reforms of the Bus Service Operators Grant will, in my view, incentivise bus operators both to improve fuel efficiency and to introduce a new generation of low carbon vehicles.

We've also announced a new £30 million green bus fund – a fund that will enable bus operators and local authorities across England to bid for funding towards the additional up-front cost of buying low carbon emission buses. 

The purchasing power of local authorities

Local authorities can also play their part in cutting carbon by taking a lead and setting an example – and here I'm talking about the enormous purchasing power they wield.

So, as part of a £20 million scheme, four British companies have been selected to supply all-electric vans to selected public sector organisations within months.

They will initially supply around 150 vans for use by six local authority groups, including Coventry and Glasgow City Council, as well as six large public fleets, including Royal Mail and the Environment Agency.

This scheme is good for the environment. But, by offering vital support to promising British companies entering the green technology sector, this scheme makes sound economic sense too.

Concluding remarks

I started my speech by arguing that, in the face of climate change, de-carbonising transport is the only game in town.

I am under no illusions that the task before us is anything other than demanding.

But I also know that we have neither the option of standing on the side-lines, nor the luxury of sitting this one out. For all our sakes, this is a challenge we simply have to meet.

To be equal to the task, and worthy of the challenge, we must combine clarity of vision and political will with determination and innovation.

We must also continue to develop the policy solutions and deliver the focused investment necessary to turn ambitious goals into lasting achievements.

But there's something else we need, there's another vital ingredient – and it's a realisation, an acceptance that making progress means working together.

Working together locally, regionally and nationally.

Working together from Whitehall to the town hall.

Working together from Downing Street to the high street.

In my experience, both as a local councillor and as a Minister, this kind of partnership approach isn't some path of least resistance taken by politicians just to make life easier – it's actually the very best way to get results.

And, as far as I'm concerned, it's also the best chance we have to build the low carbon future we all want to see and all want to share.

Okay – if working together means anything, then it means a two-way dialogue. In short, having heard from me, I think it's high time I heard from you.

So, I'd like to thank you for listening and I look forward to taking your questions and listening to your comments.

(This speech represented existing departmental policy but the words may not have been the same as those used by the Minister.)