Greenhouse gases
47. The new greenhouse gas target, which is shared
with the Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
and the Department of Trade and Industry, has two elements: an
overall reduction of greenhouse gases, in line with our Kyoto
commitment; and a 20 per cent reduction in carbon dioxide below
1990 levels by 2010. Whilst the Departments are on course to meet
the Kyoto target, the Autumn Performance Report 2005 indicates
that the UK is falling short of the carbon dioxide domestic target.[42]
48. There is little evidence that the Department
for Transport has a realistic strategy to ensure it plays its
part in reducing carbon emissions. As with air quality, a review
of strategy is underway and so the same dangers of delay, outlined
above, apply. The Annual Report 2005 stated that the revised
Climate Change Programme was due to be published in late 2005.[43]
By the time the Autumn Performance Report 2005 was published
this had slipped to 2006.[44]
49. The report 'Avoiding Dangerous Climate Change'
published by DEFRA identified that 2005 was the second warmest
year on record and the Arctic sea ice shrank to its lowest extent
last summer.[45] The
report identified the key impacts of climate change on different
regions. The Department for Transport must demonstrate more dynamism
in seeking to contribute to the UK meeting its domestic target
for reducing carbon dioxide emissions.
Changing travel behaviour
50. Recent research commissioned by the Department
for Transport concluded that changes to travel behaviour will
be more effective than technological change in reducing greenhouse
gas emissions from the transport sector, though both approaches
will be necessary.[46]
The Department must not therefore place too much reliance on long-term
vehicle technology solutions.
51. We were disappointed that the Secretary of
State's oral evidence failed to catch fire with the sense of conviction
and urgency we had expected him to demonstrate on this issue.
Measures are available to influence transport behavioural changes
in the short term, for example those set out in the Department's
own report Smarter Choices - Changing the way we travel, need
to be given a much higher profile.[47]
We see no reason to delay the rapid and widespread introduction
of these inexpensive, yet highly effective, measures.
52. We are also concerned by responses which indicated
that the Department may be unwilling to use measures such as enforcement
of existing speed limits to reduce emissions around the strategic
road network.[48] The
Department told us that savings in the region of half a million
tonnes of carbon per annum could be achieved if no vehicles
exceeded the existing speed limit. In a strategy with several
strands, it is important that the Department publicises with imagination
and gusto the important message that excessive speed is helping
to destroy the planet if a real affect is to be felt. [49]
53. Transport is a major contributor to the problem
of climate change. The Department for Transport must take a lead
in mitigating its destructive effect. We recommend that the Departmental
Annual Report for 2006 sets out clearly the Department's commitments,
the action plan to achieve reductions in destructive emissions,
and appropriate milestones. The Department will receive the support
of this committee in whatever reasonable and practical measures
it proposes. It must not be deterred from implementing strategies
that may prove unpopular in the short-term if these are likely
to prove the most effective solutions.
Joint working
54. Both the air quality and greenhouse gas emissions
targets are joint Departmental targets with the Department for
the Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs, and the latter also
with the Department of Trade and Industry. DEFRA appears to 'own'
the data systems underlying both these targets, and we
are concerned that the Department for Transport is as fully involved
as possible in delivering the targets.[50]
55. A recent National Audit Office report on joint
targets found that such targets are most successful where Departments
had formal, joint planning arrangements; joint rather than individual
delivery plans, including interim performance indicators or milestones;
and joint monitoring and reporting arrangements.[51]
A pooled budget was also identified as helpful.
56. We would like the Department for Transport
to explain exactly what inter-departmental arrangements it has
with the Department for the Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs
(DEFRA) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) for delivering
joint targets for greenhouse gas emissions; and whether these
follow recent guidelines set by the National Audit Office.
Diversity
Targets
57. Government departments have an obligation to
work towards the Cabinet Office targets for staff diversity in
the Senior Civil Service. The Department exceeded its target for
2004/05 to employ ethnic minority staff, 3.6 per cent against
a target of 3.2 per cent.[52]
58. It failed however to meet 2004/05 targets for
women and people with disabilities by some considerable margin.
It achieved only 26.5 per cent for women against a target of 35
per cent; and 1.2 per cent for people with disabilities against
a target of 3 per cent.[53]
More challenging targets have been set for 2005/06 but it seems
highly unlikely that the Department will meet these. The situation
has been compounded by the fact that all the senior staff transferred
from the Strategic Rail Authority to the Department are male.[54]
59. The Department needs to adopt imaginative
and effective strategies for increasing representation by women
and staff with disabilities in the Senior Civil Service. It has
failed to meet targets in these areas for 2004/05. Targets for
2005/06 have been toughened. We wish to know what specific measures
the Department will adopt to meet these. Setting more difficult
targets is laudable. But there needs to be a sound, underpinning
delivery strategy. If there is not, the exercise will be cosmetic
and the Department will fail again.
60. The Department is to be congratulated for
meeting the target for recruiting staff from ethnic minorities.
We invite it to set the pace in Whitehall by adopting a further,
and yet more challenging, target for improving future ethnic minority
representation.
2 Department for Transport, Annual Report 2005, Cm
6527, pp 20-25 Back
3
'average time lost in seconds per vehicle kilometre', Department
for Transport, Delivering Better Transport Programme Report, December
2002, page 100, ft 2 Back
4
Ibid, page 119 Back
5
The measure for strategic roads is 'By 2007-08, make journeys
more reliable on the strategic road network (PSA1); the measure
for urban roads is 'By 2010-11, the ten largest urban areas will
meet the congestion targets set in their Local Transport Plan
relating to movement on main roads into city centres (PSA4)',
Department for Transport, Autumn Performance Report 2005, Cm 6708,
page 9 Back
6
The data was published eventually by the Department for Transport
on 14 February 2006, "Journey Time Reliability on Motorway
and Trunk Roads: Measure for PSA Target Published". Back
7
Ev 46 Back
8
Ev 46 Back
9
Rt Hon Alistair Darling MP, Written Parliamentary Statement, 7
February 2006 Back
10
'Innovative Highways Agency green travel scheme eases M27 congestion
and wins award' , Highways Agency Press Notice, 8 March 2006 Back
11
Department for Transport, Annual Report 2005 page 58, paragraph
3.21 Back
12
Ev 47 Back
13
Department for Transport, Annual Report 2005, page 65, paragraph
3.43 Back
14
HC Deb, 5 July 2005, col 173 Back
15
Ev 46 Back
16
Ev 64 Back
17
HM Treasury, HM Customs and Excise, Department for Transport,
Modernising the Taxation of the Haulage Industry: lorry road user-charge,
Progress Report 3 (March 2004) Back
18
Autumn Performance Report 2005, page 19 Back
19
NRF is a strategy sponsored by the Office of the Deputy Prime
Minister designed to tackle the root causes of declining neighbourhoods.
See, www.neighbourhood.gov.uk Back
20
Mayor of London, Press Notice 14 February 2006 Back
21
Road Casualties Great Britain 2004: Annual Report, Table 2, page
49, Table 6c, page 59, Table 2a, page 27. In 30 mph zones, 50
per cent of cars exceeded the limit; 21 percent of cars exceeded
35 mph; 46 percent of 2-axle heavy goods vehicles exceeded 30
mph. Department for Transport, Vehicle Speeds in Great Britain
2005. Published 6 April 2006 Back
22
Ev 52 Back
23
Hearings held on 8 and 15 March 2006. 'Traffic Policing and Technology:
getting the balance right'. Transport Select Committee Press Notice,
25 January 2006 Back
24
Department for Transport, Autumn Performance Report, Chapter 3 Back
25
Q 81 Back
26
From a PPM of 72 in October - December 2004-05 to 85.8 in January
- March of 2004-05, National Rail Trends Yearbook, Office of Rail
Regulation Back
27
Ev 1 Back
28
Ev 64 Back
29
Ev 64 Back
30
Q118 Back
31
Department for Transport, Autumn Performance Report 2005, page
15 Back
32
Q22 Back
33
Ev 1 Back
34
Department for Transport, Autumn Performance Report 2005, page
31 Back
35
Transport for London 'London Underground and the PPP: the second
year 2004/2005, page 3 Back
36
Qq 38 - 40 Back
37
Transport Select Committee, Third Report of Session 2005-06, 'Going
for Gold': Transport for London's 2012 Olympic Games (HC 588-l),
page 40. Report published on 16 March 2006 Back
38
Ev 21, question 54 Back
39
Department for Transport, Autumn Performance Report 2005, page
22 Back
40
Ev 56 Back
41
Transport Select Committee, Fourth Report of Session 2004-05,
The Departmental Annual Report 2004 (HC 409), paragraph 32 Back
42
Department for Transport, Autumn Performance Report 2005, Chapter
7 states that the UK is forecast to cut carbon dioxide emissions
by 14 per cent by 2010, which falls short of the joint target
between DTI, DEFRA and DFT to cut CO2 by 20 per cent. New inquiries
into carbon emissions and bio-energy and climate change respectively
were announced by the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee
'Reducing Carbon Emissions from Transport' on 19 January 2006;
and the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee on 15 December
2005 Back
43
Department for Transport, Annual Report 2005, page 167, paragraph
9.19 Back
44
Department for Transport, Autumn Performance Report 2005, page
25 Back
45
Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, "Avoiding
Dangerous Climate Change", Press Notice,30 January 2006 Back
46
As part of the 'Horizons Programme' Robin Hickman and Professor
David Banister, University College London, have conducted Department
for Transport-sponsored research into 'Visioning and Backcasting
for UK Transport Policy". This study considers the potential
for a 60% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions in the transport
sector in the UK. Preliminary results suggest that the 60% reduction
could not be met through technological change alone. Back
47
Qq 88-89 Back
48
Q48 - Q53 Back
49
Ev 55 Back
50
Department for Transport, Autumn Performance Report 2005, page
25 Back
51
National Audit Office, Session 2005-2006, Joint Targets (HC 453).
Report published 14 October 2005 Back
52
Department for Transport, Annual Report 2005, page 46 Back
53
Ibid Back
54
Q130 Back
