Climate Change and Air Quality Progress Report 2023 to 2024

The Council are currently preparing our fifth “Local Transport Plan” (LTP5). This will be the fifth LTP for Buckinghamshire and will cover transport policies across the county to 2040. Within the objectives of the LTP5 development there are commitments to our Climate Change & Air Quality Strategy and the promotion of sustainable and active travel.

The Unitary Council are working on preparation of a new Local Plan for Buckinghamshire. In summer 2024 we set out a draft vision and objectives for consultation, which included the following in relation to climate change:

• Mitigating/adapting to climate change listed among the eight objectives for the plan
• Working towards achieving a carbon-neutral plan
• Designing new developments to be resilient to climate and flooding risks
• Increasing the supply of renewable energy
• Requiring the highest standards of insulation and energy efficiency

The consultation responses are currently being evaluated and will inform the next stage of the Local Plan.

In April 2024 the Council adopted a comprehensive Housing Strategy covering the period 2024 to 2029. The Strategy sets out three priorities, including priority two “Better Homes: good quality, sustainable and matched to need”. This includes the following commitments relevant to climate change:

• Supporting the Buckinghamshire Council Energy Doctor Scheme
• Supporting schemes such as Sustainable Warmth and Solar Together

Buckinghamshire Council received just over £70,000 in funding from the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) to support the installation of new on-street electric vehicle (EV) charging points in Wendover. The money will be used as match-funding for the council's existing £110,000 investment in the Wendover EV pilot scheme, which aims to promote the use of EVs in the area.

The EV pilot scheme will include the installation of 10 on-street lamppost charging points in locations where there is a lack of off-street parking in Wendover and in-pavement cable channels. Both options will offer slow charging suitable for overnight charging of EVs.

The in-pavement cable channels are being installed to enable those residents who do not have a driveway to use their own EV chargers outside their house to charge their cars overnight (whilst parked on the street) in an easily accessible way. This is because the in-pavement cable channel ensures pedestrian safety by preventing trip hazards from trailing cables across pavements. It also means that residents can use their own electricity rather than relying on potentially more expensive public charge points. To date 3 in- pavement channels have been installed and the council has received positive feedback from residents using them. The usage of the channels will be monitored by the council until November 2025 and a decision will be made on whether to offer the in-pavement channels to more residents of Buckinghamshire.

The council is in the process of identifying sites that might be suitable locations for EV hubs. Delivery of Ultra-Rapid EV charging hubs would support the commitments made by the Council in the EV Action Plan and Climate Change & Air Quality Strategy, as well as the corporate priorities: increasing prosperity, strengthening communities, and improving our environment.

High Wycombe’s Handy Cross park and ride is a ‘pilot site’ for developing the Council’s approach to the delivery of Ultra Rapid charging hubs. The car park off Handy Cross roundabout currently has 383 standard parking spaces but is considered to be underutilised. We are therefore proposing turning part of the site, which is in Council ownership, into an electric vehicle (EV) ‘charging plaza’. This would include between 30 and 40 ‘ultrafast’ EV charging points and a drive through food and beverage kiosk with toilet facilities. Other sites are currently being considered.

The High Wycombe Transport Strategy envisions that by 2050, High Wycombe will be among the best connected and most innovative towns in the Thames Valley. All the journeys from start to finish aim to be considered low emission, seamless, and safe for everyone, setting an ambitious goal for the town’s transport system.

To achieve this, the high-level Transport Strategy sets out the key transport schemes required in the next 5, 10, 15 years and beyond. The supporting Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) includes more detail on opportunities for new and improved cycling, walking and wheeling infrastructure.

Buckinghamshire Wide Local Cycling & Walking Infrastructure Plan (re Action 42)

Following a decision taken in January 2024 we have developed a council-wide Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP) that will outline a high-level walking, cycling and wheeling network across Buckinghamshire.

The LCWIP will focus on opportunities for strategic connections between settlements and to key destinations, including:

• Employment
• Education
• public transport hubs and networks
• town and village facilities
• countryside and visitor attractions
• neighbouring authority areas

Public consultation on the LCWIP took place from September-October 2024. The LCWIP will provide an evidence base for the forthcoming Local Transport Plan 5 and Local Plan for Buckinghamshire, and ultimately result in greater opportunities for people to choose to travel actively in Buckinghamshire.

The South East Aylesbury Link Road (SEALR) forms a crucial part of the Council’s Transport Strategy for Aylesbury. The project specification includes a carbon management plan, which assesses the overall carbon impact of the road over a 60 year period including the emissions avoided by delivery of this infrastructure. Estimates suggest that over 109,000 tCO2e will be saved over its lifetime as compared to a “do minimum” scenario.

Buckinghamshire Council, as part of the Department for Transport (DfT) trials, have implemented an Electric Scooter rental trial to help support a ‘green’ alternative to local travel that is convenient, clean, and affordable. E-scooters can also reduce reliance on car trips, reduce congestion and improve air quality.

The trial has been extended by the Department for Transport until May 2026 to continue their assessment of impacts and allow legislation to be put in place to legalise e-scooters. The continuation of the e-scooter trial also supports the council’s Climate Change and Air Quality Strategy by promoting sustainable low-carbon transport alternatives for shorter trips.

In 2023, more than 100,000 rides covering approximately 107,000 miles were made on the trial e-scooters.

‘Pick Me Up’ Demand Responsive Transport (DRT) Service (re Action 44)

The ‘demand responsive transport’ (DRT) service launched in September 2022 which operates around High Wycombe has been expanded to include Flackwell Heath. The service operated by Carousel Buses has proven to be popular with local residents with close to 100 people per day travelling by the end of the first week of service. By June 2024, this had increased to 300 passengers per day and the service continues to attract new passengers. It now provides over 1500 rides per week.

The service was introduced to reach residents living in parts of the town not serviced by regular bus routes and demonstrates the role that demand-responsive transport plays in improving air quality and traffic congestion in the town.