Roads and the environment

Environmental impacts of roads, including air quality, lighting and biodiversity.

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Guidance and regulation

• E10 petrol explained
  • Detailed guide
  • 2 November 2022
  • Department for Transport
• Covered car parks: fire safety guidance for electric vehicles
  • Guidance
  • 8 February 2024
  • Office for Zero Emission Vehicles
• Lessons learned from extreme-weather emergencies on UK highways
  • Guidance
  • 15 November 2021
  • Department for Transport
• Competition guidance for developing digital roads and improving air quality (development or pilot only, 1 phase): SBRI competition
  • Notice
  • 23 January 2019
  • Innovate UK
• Competition guidance for SBRI: tackling non-exhaust and non-road vehicle air pollution, phase 2 SBRI
  • Notice
  • 9 September 2019
  • Innovate UK

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News and communications

• A66 Northern Trans-Pennine Project development consent decision announced
  • 8 March 2024
  • Planning Inspectorate
  • Press release
• A12 Chelmsford to A120 Widening Scheme development consent decision announced
  • 12 January 2024
  • Planning Inspectorate
  • Press release
• UK economy boosted by £1.4 billion as longer lorries roll out on roads
  • 10 May 2023
  • Department for Transport
  • News story
• Transport investment turbocharges UK’s net zero ambitions and economic growth in Scotland
  • 3 April 2023
  • Department for Transport and Office of the Secretary of State for Scotland
  • News story
• New framework to ensure road and rail development projects protect the environment
  • 14 March 2023
  • Department for Transport
  • News story

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Research and statistics

• Estimating carbon emissions from road users
  • 29 January 2026
  • Department for Transport
  • Research
• Towns, cities and transport: challenges for the water environment
  • 20 November 2025
  • Environment Agency
  • Research
• Commute Zero: employer attitudes towards sustainable commuting and business travel
  • 26 September 2024
  • Department for Transport
  • Research
• Road lengths in Great Britain: 2023
  • 21 March 2024
  • Department for Transport
  • National statistics
• Travel time measures for the Strategic Road Network and local ‘A’ roads: January to December 2021
  • 2 March 2022
  • Department for Transport
  • National statistics

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Policy papers and consultations

• In-use emissions of road vehicles: regulating environmental impacts
  • 6 July 2026
  • Department for Transport
  • Open consultation
  • Closing date 06 September 2026
• Low carbon fuel strategy: call for ideas
  • 24 May 2022
  • Department for Transport
  • Consultation outcome
  • Date closed 03 April 2022
• Transport decarbonisation plan
  • 12 January 2023
  • Department for Transport
  • Policy paper
• Automated and Electric Vehicle Act report
  • 19 October 2021
  • Department for Transport and Office for Zero Emission Vehicles
  • Policy paper
• Government vision for the rapid chargepoint network in England
  • 14 May 2020
  • Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, Department for Transport, Office for Zero Emission Vehicles, Office for Low Emission Vehicles, and Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy
  • Policy paper

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Transparency and freedom of information releases

• Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation annual report 2024
  • 28 May 2026
  • Department for Transport
  • Corporate report
• Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation annual report 2023
  • 24 April 2025
  • Department for Transport
  • Corporate report
• Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation annual report 2022
  • 11 April 2024
  • Department for Transport
  • Corporate report
• Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation Annual Report 2021
  • 14 June 2023
  • Department for Transport
  • Corporate report
• Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation Annual Report 2020
  • 30 March 2022
  • Department for Transport
  • Corporate report

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Organisations

• Department
  for Transport
• Planning
  Inspectorate
• Office for Zero Emission Vehicles
• Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles
• Department for
  Science, Innovation
  & Technology

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• Environment Agency