Why?

Our roads (and skies) are now more congested, and polluted, than ever before.

At the end of 2000, there were over 24 million cars registered in the UK, double the number registered in 1975. However, Smarter Choices don't seek to address car ownership, but rather car use. As a nation, we are travel more by car than by any other mode, car use accounted for 85% of the entire distance travelled in 2002.

In some part this is good news as it is a reflection of the fact that we are wealthier than ever before. However, increased car use has its downsides, contributing greatly to the problems of congestion and pollution we are all so familiar with.

Did you know?
If the UK is to meet its target for a 60% reduction in CO2 by 2050, we each need to reduce our total emissions, from domestic energy use and travel, to approximately 1.5 tonnes of CO2 a year. A return flight from London to New York emits almost 1.6 tonnes.

The fact that we drive more means that we are now less active in our travel choices. We walk fewer miles than before and cycle even less, which contributes to the fact that most of us do not get the right amount of exercise. A recent report even correlated increases in obesity with the increase in CO2 emissions from traffic and the resulting impacts on climate change!

It is not just increased car use that causes problems. We now fly more than ever before and aviation is the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions. Aviation currently accounts for 6% of the UK's CO2 emissions. Unrestrained, this could rise to 25% by 2050.

Smarter Choices can help to make our transport network less congested, less polluted. We just need to be more conscious about our travel choices and the role we each have to play.