National Grid welcomes Transport Decarbonisation Plan

Graeme Cooper, the head of future markets at National Grid, has welcomed the Government’s Transport Decarbonisation Plan and hopes that it will trigger the investment and technology changes needed to make the transition to clean transport.

The TDP was launched earlier this week and includes ambitious plans to decarbonise all modes of domestic transport by 2050, a pledge to end the sale of new diesel and petrol heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) by 2040 and a commitment to electrify the entire fleet of government cars and vans by 2027.

National Grid has a pivotal role in the UK energy industry, transporting energy from producers to local network operators, who bring gas and electricity into homes and businesses.

The company has a vital role to play in supporting the transition to clean transport across all modes and covering all sectors, including cars, freight, rail, bus, maritime and aviation.

Speaking to Transport + Energy, Graeme Cooper – the head of future markets at National Grid – said: “The Transport Decarbonisation Plan represents a modal shift for the movement of people and goods. From an energy perspective, there aren’t any sharp in-takes of breath in the announcement, so no surprises. It’s brilliant to see ambitious policy that gives confidence and certainty to the transport sector which we will be serving – this clarity can help trigger the investment and technology changes needed to make the transition to clean transport.

“The timeline for trucks and HGVs enables us to better plan the deployment of our infrastructure and we’re pleased to see a reiteration of commitments made within Project Rapid, including the £950m funding to invest in upgrading grid infrastructure. We also stand ready for the Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Strategy anticipated before COP26, setting out a time line and next steps for infrastructure rollout and the part we can play to achieve this at pace.

“Overall, we’re encouraged by the level of clarity on banning the sale of diesel trucks, the timeframe for completing the electrification of rail and the course that has been plotted to net zero for shipping and aviation. The Plan will deliver significant benefits in terms of reduced noise and congestion, and improved air quality, health, jobs and growth – all of which aligns with National Grid objectives.”

Image: Shutterstock.

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