News on Surrey's Greener Future

On the 10th November the COP26 United Nations Conference on Climate Change came to Surrey to showcase the local ambition to create a greener future through reducing transport emissions. After a successful funding bid to the Greater South East Energy Hub, on behalf of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, in mid-September the Surrey County Council Greener Futures Team were selected to host a COP26 Regional Roadshow event.

The theme of the event was how to deliver net zero transport in a rural county by taking a ‘smart county’ approach to physical connectivity. This links to our ambitions to significantly reduce transport emissions in Surrey. Primarily this will mean using public transport and active travel (walking and cycling) when possible, and switching to ultra-low emission vehicles for private journeys.

(Above: Local school children talking to Patrick Warner from Buses about the prototype hydrogen bus that visited the event)

Transport emissions account for 41% of carbon emissions in Surrey, which is higher than the average for the South of England. This is alongside the public health impacts of air pollution.

Despite the damp weather it was a hugely successful day with over 40 partners involved. The event was also filmed and livestreamed to the COP26 website, with Surrey County Council Executive Director of Environment, Transport and Infrastructure, Katie Stewart acting as the host. Katie spoke to and interviewed numerous people over the day including Paralympian Sam Ruddock, who was there to support the electric bike challenge which took place. The event was open to the public to visit the stalls and we also had local schools including St Polycarps Primary School, visit to learn about climate change and transport. Students from Kings International College and the Woking Shifa Network travelled to the event on three new electric community buses provided by Woking Bustler. The Active Surrey pedal powered Scalextric track proved particularly popular with visitors of all ages!

(Above: Representatives from the Shifa Network, who organising cycle training for South East Asian women in Woking, with Katie Stewart (second from right))

It was a fantastic day but also the start of a journey. Local authorities in Surrey only directly control less than 1% of all emissions so it is vital that we work together with all partners, residents, communities and businesses to meet our target to become a net zero county by 2050.

Highlights from the day included the BBC interviewing Surrey County Council member for Transport Matt Furniss about the new hydrogen buses that will be hitting Surrey roads in June, an Air Pollution Art Exhibition with the University for Creative Arts and an electric bicycle challenge courtesy of Canyon Bikes with Paralympic cyclist Sam Ruddock.

Other partners included:

(Above: Attendees from Surrey Choices demonstrated adapted bikes from Wheels for All, pictured here with Paralympic cyclist Sam Ruddock (centre))

A highlights video from the day will be available soon but in the meantime you can replay the livestream by visiting the COP26 website and registering here.

If you would like to stay up to date with what is going on in the Greener Futures team we also have a resident newsletter which you can sign up to here.