High Peak MP Robert Largan has today (12 February) signed up to become a public transport champion, to help accelerate action on climate change in Parliament, as part of the Conservative Environment Network’s (CEN) new Net Zero Champions initiative.
The High Peak MP will be working with 24 other Conservative MPs to promote a range of technological and natural solutions to climate change, to ensure that the UK creates more green jobs as part of the post-Covid economic recovery and further reduces our greenhouse gas emissions.
In June 2019 the UK was the first major economy to set a legally binding target to reach net-zero emissions by 2050, following a Parliamentary campaign led by CEN MPs. Since then, the Government has announced a number of new world-leading climate policies, such as the commitment to end financial support for fossil fuel projects abroad and a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030. The Government also launched a 10 point plan for a green industrial revolution, backed by £12 billion of public funding, which aims to create up to 250,000 new jobs in industries of the future like hydrogen and carbon capture.
However, in their latest progress report to Parliament, the independent Climate Change Committee outlined multiple areas where policy gaps remain in order to get the UK on track to net-zero. The CEN Net Zero Champions will be campaigning for policies to close those remaining gaps ahead of COP26 UN Climate Summit, which the UK is hosting in Glasgow this November. The Government is due to publish a comprehensive net-zero strategy ahead of the summit, which will set out a pathway towards the long-term net-zero goal.
As a public transport champion, Robert Largan MP has endorsed the Environment Network’s proposals:
1. aligning the Bus Service Operators Grant (BSOG), which is a package of government support for bus services of around £250 million per year, with net-zero and wider access to public transport;
2. funding a major trial of hydrogen buses, which is a potential alternative technology to utilise alongside battery-electric buses, and could help to support the UK’s emerging hydrogen industry; and
3. funding Network Rail to electrify more railway lines and bringing forward the phase-out date for diesel trains to reduce emissions and air pollution caused by old diesel trains, and update the remaining 30 per cent of passenger rail vehicles that are not electric-powered.
These national proposals are on top of the MP’s local focus on improving public transport, including his campaign for a railway station in Gamesley and his campaign to upgrade the Hope Valley line, as well as his efforts to protect the twice hourly train service on the Buxton line.
Robert Largan MP commented:
“I’m pleased to be working with the Conservative Environment Network on this great initiative, as part of my commitment to the people of High Peak to champion action on climate change in Parliament. As the hosts of the Climate Summit in November, the UK needs to be at the front of the pack globally in tackling carbon emissions. That’s why I’ll be campaigning inside Parliament for further policies for public transport that will cut emissions, while also creating green jobs across the UK.”
“Transport is one of the most polluting parts of our economy, and in many parts of the country, the provision of public transport is patchy at best. In order to give people more choice on how to get about, we need a reliable, regular and affordable public transport service. We also need to ensure public transport is powered by cleaner forms of energy like electricity or hydrogen. I’m keen to look for new ideas to make transport greener and make the High Peak the capital of tackling climate change.”
Sam Hall, Director of the Conservative Environment Network, commented:
“We’re delighted that Robert Largan MP is going to be a champion for public transport inside Parliament. Robert is a tireless advocate for green jobs and for ambitious climate action in Westminster and the High Peak. Tackling climate change is so important not only because it helps reduce the risks of flooding and heatwaves, but also because it will create jobs in the industries of the future, and make our towns and countryside more pleasant places to live with cleaner air and more access to nature. Our champions will be working together in Westminster to drive action on climate change and to propose new policies to ensure we hand on a greener world to the next generation.”
