One year after the launch of the National Highways net zero plan, National Highways has released a report outlining its progress so far.
National Highways has managed to convert 100% of the energy it uses is now from renewable sources, the National Highways vehicle fleet is being converted to electric vehicles and after one year 38% of the vehicle fleet is plug-in hybrid.
National Highways is also swapping out all the light bulbs on the strategic road network to lower carbon LED lights. In the first year 16% of the light bulbs on the strategic road network are LED. Also 93% employees of National Highways have gone through additional training to be able to effectively support motorists with electric vehicles.
National Highways net zero plan includes three goals, no corporate emissions by 2030, net zero construction emissions by 2040 and net zero road user emissions by 2050.
The report praised the “promising start” that has been made in the first year, particularly in achieving the 2030 goal of reducing corporate emissions to net zero but admits that there is “still much to do.”
A pilot programme for close platooning HGVs was completed on the strategic road network for the first time and low carbon materials are being introduced into construction process as National Highways sets up pilot schemes for net zero road construction.
Steve Elderkin, director of environmental sustainability at National Highways, said: “Over the last year colleagues across National Highways and our supply chain have been turning this plan into a reality. That’s what this requires; a huge joint effort across our industry, supported with the right policies.”
