Cheap, efficient, public transport, as well as electrification, have a role to play in sustainable transport system

The growing number of electric powered, rather than petrol and diesel, vehicles on the road is generally viewed as a positive thing. There is government led drive to see all vehicles on the roads being non-fossil fuel consuming by 2035. At local government level, the infrastructure is being developed to provide for the expansion of the electric vehicle sector. Electric vehicles reduce carbon emissions, pollution and noise. What is not to like? But there are critics. They claim that a lot of carbon emissions are created in the manufacture of these vehicles. The batteries, with the mined elements, such as lithium, cobalt and nickel attract particular criticism. There is also the disposal of the batteries, when exhausted. To summarise, critics claim that given the carbon emission costs in manufacture, it will take a very long time to recoup these over the lifetime of the vehicle. No doubt there is some value in this criticism. However, as the technology develops, there should be efficiencies in production that ensure the short term damage done by these vehicles is limited. Also, charging networks need to be sourced with renewable energy. But it is wrong to see replacing petrol and diesel vehicles with electric ones as the panacea to save the planet. The electric car has a part to play but road vehicles generally need to be controlled. The number of cars and car journeys need to come down. This though can only happen if other forms of transport improve and become cheaper. Public transport across the country is not of sufficient standard or cheap enough to fill the void. Cheap, if not free, reliable public transport has a huge role in the future regarding how people get about. Public transport ofcourse needs to be run on renewable energy. The number of vehicles on the road would reduce substantially, if free reliable public transport was available to all. Road space could also be freed up if freight was largely moved from road to rail. In order to achieve such a modal shift in transport away from the car to public transport would involve a large investment in public transport and infrastructure. The tax system could also to be used to incentivise these more sustainable modes of travel. The future of transport in the UK should be made up of a mixture of electric vehicles, renewable energy powered infrastructure and free, efficient public transport. The present incremental approach will see more and more of the country go under concrete, with the ongoing predict and provide model operating. The present piecemeal approach creates ever greater friction between car drivers and everyone else. A more holistic approach is required, taking in all requirements to provide a sustainable, cheap system of travel for all.