PRESS RELEASE

Big shift in policy still needed for climate

Responding to the publication of the Climate Change Committee’s (CCC) 2025 Progress Report [1], Chris Todd, Director of Transport Action Network [2] said:

“The CCC has tried to find a way to say there’s been a “small improvement”, to build rapport with the new government. But by showing a blind eye to the watering down of the petrol and diesel phase out, cuts to active travel, let alone wider geopolitical risks, it’s putting its head in the sand and ignoring the difficult questions.

“It seems to have forgotten that earlier this year it called for a significant shift in how we travel by 2035. This would cut congestion, ill-heath and carbon, while boosting the economy. This requires a big shift in spending from driving to give people better choices for getting around. Yet the CCC has still not worked out the scale of investment or policy change required to do that.

“We need affordable, rapidly deliverable measures to catch up after years of Tory u-turns.  The problem with Labour is that despite some positive moves it appears all swings and roundabouts as progress in one area is undermined in another [3].

“So despite the spin today, it’s clear we will need a massive shift in policies in the government’s new climate plan in October if it is going to be lawful.”

– ENDS –

Notes to editors:

[1] Progress in reducing emissions – 2025 report to Parliament, Climate Change Committee, published 25 June, 2025

[2] TAN helps communities press for better (more sustainable) transport. We support more investment in bus and rail services and active travel. To enable this and better roads maintenance (fewer potholes) we continue to oppose the previous government’s damaging roads programme. We also support better integration between transport and planning.

[3] The transport investment in mayoral combined authorities is welcome as is that for East-West rail and for the Transpennine (rail) route upgrade as it will help to increase use of public transport and to reduce car use and emissions. However, the government’s approval of the Lower Thames Crossing (LTC) will do the opposite, increasing traffic and congestion, driving up emissions and cementing in inequality and poor economic growth. For example the £590m recently pledged for the LTC would deliver most of the rail improvements needed to reduce HGVs on our roads as set out in TAN’s report, Essex-Kent Superlinks, making our roads safer and journeys more reliable, while boosting the economy and reducing emissions.