Consultation to launch on Alternative Fuels Strategy for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough

Consultation to launch on Alternative Fuels Strategy for Cambridgeshire and Peterborough

A six-week consultation on a strategy to speed up the switch to electric, hydrogen and other renewable fuelled vehicles in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough is set to launch.

Run by the Combined Authority, the consultation is on the East Anglia Alternative Fuels Strategy (AFS) and launches on November 9. The strategy aims to help tackle climate change and air pollution by helping Cambridgeshire and Peterborough move away from petrol and diesel vehicles. The strategy includes alternative fuelled cars, buses, lorries and rail.

The public and other stakeholders are invited to have their say on the AFS and make any other comments about the transition to alternative fuels.

The Combined Authority is committed to finding ways to respond to climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Transport is responsible for about a quarter of carbon dioxide emitted and so change is needed to help the UK meet its 2050 net zero targets.

In 2020 the Government also announced the sale of new petrol and diesel cars would end by 2030, so investing in alternative fuels and the infrastructure around them, like electric vehicle charging points, is essential.

Areas the strategy will cover includes:

• Increasing the amount of electric vehicle (EV) charging points.
• Encouraging people to choose an alternative fuelled vehicle (AFV) like an electric car.
• Complementing ongoing work to encourage people to walk, cycle or take public transport as the first choice for journeys, as a way to significantly cut emissions.

A roadmap to achieving those goals is included in the strategy.

Mayor Dr Nik Johnson said: “The switch away from fossil fuels needs to happen quickly if we are to meet our goal of cutting greenhouse gas emissions and facing up to climate change. The transition to electric vehicles is already under way, but we need a strong plan to underpin that change with the right infrastructure. This strategy is not just about electric cars, but also alternative fuelled public transport, where the Combined Authority is helping to bring in more electric buses, and alternative fuelled freight, like HGVs.

“And it’s not just about carbon – reduced emissions also mean less air pollution, resulting in better health, a nicer environment and an improved quality of life, particularly in congested areas like cities and town centres.

“I would encourage everyone to look at the strategy and have their say in what is a quick and simple survey.”

The AFS would form part of the Local Transport and Connectivity Plan, Cambridgeshire and Peterborough’s wider strategy to improve transport and digital connectivity. The AFS has been developed jointly with the New Anglia Local Enterprise Partnership, and therefore also covers Norfolk and Suffolk. Local Authorities and other stakeholders across the region were also involved in the development of the current draft plan.

Feedback from the consultation will be used to shape the final AFS. The deadline for comments is the end of the day on December 21, 2022.

People can take part in the consultation and find out more from Wednesday, November 9 at: East Anglian Alternative Fuels Strategy (AFS) consultation – Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Combined Authority (cambridgeshirepeterborough-ca.gov.uk) (The link will be live from November 9).

Hard copies of the AFS consultation materials and survey form are available on request. For this, or other questions, please email transport@cambridgeshirepeterborough-ca.gov.uk or call 01480 277180.