Wales Transport Awards has selected the Cardiff Capital Region City Deal as a finalist for its Services to the Transport Industry Award.
With Transport Operators not only in Wales, but world-wide, facing new challenges to become more environmentally friendly due to the increasing pressures of global warming, this award seeks to recognise those organisations that have executed policies to specifically reduce their impact on the environment.
CCR Context
Over recent decades the CCR has seen significant regeneration and investment. Today, it accounts for approximately 50% of the total economic output of the Welsh economy and is home to a range of competitive business clusters. However, despite these strengths, numerous challenges remain. Gross Value Added, which is a measure of goods and services produced in an area, is one of the lowest in the whole of the UK. There are also connectivity issues across the region, which make it more difficult for people in Valleys communities to access economic opportunities.
The CCR partners’ transformative approach provides an opportunity to continue tackling the area’s barriers to economic growth, by developing stronger local leadership; improving transport connectivity; increasing skill levels further; supporting people into work; delivering an increase in house building; and giving businesses the support to innovate and grow.
Award based on CCR strategy for accelerating a shift to Ultra Low Emission Vehicles
The CCR entry is based around the work undertaken in creating a ULEV Strategy to set out how an accelerated shift to cleaner vehicles could position the CCR as an exemplar region for low emission transport.
Accelerating a shift to ULEV’s will help reduce emissions which contribute to local air pollution and climate change and bring economic benefits through job creation and inward investment. The CCR European, UK and Welsh policy and regulation is steadily driving down new vehicle emissions and Regional and local policymakers are working towards net zero carbon emissions by 2050 by accelerating the rate at which older more polluting vehicles are replaced by ULEVs.
To enable this to be done effectively and efficiently the CCR Strategy aims to coordinate the various strands of activity underway across the region.
What does the strategy cover?
The strategy work establishes a clear framework to help increase the supply and uptake of ULEVs, reflecting current and forecast financial, environmental and operational performance of different technologies. It enables the CCR to accelerate a transition to ULEVs and provides advice on which fuels and technologies to incentivise and when.
The current scope of activity covers public service vehicles (PSVs), taxis & PHVs, cars, vans, HGVs and motorcycles and considers up to 2030. The fuels and technologies include plug-in vehicles (pure battery electric, plug-in hybrid and extended range), compressed and liquefied gas and biomethane, hydrogen, and other fuels such as biodiesel and LPG.
For each fuel or technology in scope, the report provides a high level overview of current operational, environmental and financial performance in a range of vehicle types; infrastructure requirements and vehicle availability.
How will it be used?
The strategy will be used by the CCR to guide its development and investment decisions.
Other regional policymakers can also use it to prioritise actions towards certain technologies and vehicles based on maturity and their expected contribution to achieving environmental objectives. PSV and freight fleet operators can use it to guide their decision making, ensuring they select the right vehicle technology and supporting infrastructure for their needs
Additionally, it can be used to estimate what recharging and refuelling infrastructure will be required to support the transition, and when and where it needs to be installed.
Welsh Government Endorsement
In May 2020, the Welsh Government awarded the CCR £1.3m to implement the first stages of its Strategy in 2020/21. The award includes the delivery of taxi, bus and transport hub ULEV infrastructure, along with an EV Roadshow with drive and ride opportunities to encourage the trades and businesses to transition to ULEVs.
A win would help to raise visibility of the work currently being undertaken and encourage investment
Winning this award would help to raise the profile and awareness of the activity currently being undertaken by the CCR to achieve a step-change in the uptake of ULEVs for all vehicle types in the region, thus contributing to objectives around GHG emissions, air quality and economic development.
Achieving significant increased market take-up and deployment will require additional policy action and this award would go some way toward helping to drive this action, to support the change and also potentially help encourage funders to invest to further enable and expedite delivery.
Next Steps
Following a short interview to expand on the submissions, winners will be announced during the awards ceremony on the 9th October.
Thank you to Huw David, chair of the RTA and ambassador for green energy, the RTA Board, Cenex and the CCR team for all the work gone into creating a strategy we can be proud of and the very best of luck for winning the award.
