UK Transport Hits Milestones in Fleet Decarbonisation and EV Infrastructure

Welcome to Net Zero News, your daily briefing on the UK’s transition to a low‑carbon future.

The transport sector in the UK is charging ahead with several significant developments that underscore the country’s progress towards net‑zero objectives. From pioneering electric bus fleets to large-scale EV orders and policy roadmaps, fresh initiatives are reshaping mobility and logistics.

Transport for London proudly operates over 2,000 zero‑emission buses, representing approximately 20% of its entire fleet. A decade ago, only around 30 such buses were in service. The authority aims for a fully zero‑emission fleet by 2030, a move expected to slash an estimated five million tonnes of carbon emissions over two decades.  What’s more, London now boasts lower CO₂ emissions per passenger‑kilometre than cities such as New York, while all new buses deployed since 2021 are zero‑emission.  The transition has also stimulated UK supply chains some 30% of TfL’s suppliers now operate in low‑carbon sectors, and 10% are technology or data firms.

In parallel, SMMT figures confirm that Britain retained its leadership as Europe’s largest zero‑emission bus market in 2024. A total of 1,570 electric or hydrogen buses entered service, marking a 35.5% year‑on‑year rise. Strong growth came from minibuses (+102.5%), single‑decker (+22.5%) and double‑decker (+69.6%) models. England accounted for 87.4% of new registrations, while Scotland saw a decline. The expansion has been fuelled by the Zero Emission Bus Regional Area (ZEBRA) scheme, which continues into its second phase.

National Highways has placed a substantial order with Toyota for 18 Proace Electric vans and 40 bZ4X electric SUVs. These vehicles reinforce its commitment to reach net‑zero corporate emissions by 2030, with a target for all non‑traffic‑officer light vehicles to go electric by 2027.

Amid these advancing electrification efforts, the van fleet sector faces policy gaps. Electrification specialist Bedeo has issued an open letter urging the government to formally recognise retrofit and range‑extender systems as transitional technologies. It calls for their inclusion in alternative fuel vehicle grants, relaxation of weight‑limit rules, and explicit acknowledgment within net‑zero pathways. Without such support, the large van sector may fall short of zero‑emission sales targets set between 2030 and 2035.

Depot electrification has also hit a major hurdle. A study by SMMT reveals that commercial fleet operators may face grid‑connection timelines of up to 15 years a clear mismatch with government bans on non‑zero‑emission vehicles. The report highlights the urgent need for planning reform, grid prioritisation, and energy cost intervention to keep fleet decarbonisation on track.

Supporting these efforts, Zemo Partnership is mapping out policies missing from the net‑zero transport framework. Commissioned by the European Climate Foundation, its forum is developing a “Map of Missing Policies” across the four UK nations to accelerate transport decarbonisation in line with national 2050 targets (2045 for Scotland). Its findings will feed into policy proposals.

On the infrastructure front, the government has unveiled a 10‑year UK Infrastructure Strategy with a bold £2.6 billion funding commitment for decarbonising transport from 2026–27 to 2029–30. Of this, £1.4 billion is allocated to the Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) for EV rollout, while £400 million supports broader charging infrastructure. A further £200 million is dedicated to Zero Emission Heavy Goods Vehicles (ZEHID) and related infrastructure.

What this means:
These developments illustrate the broadening scope and ambition of the UK’s net‑zero transport roadmap. London’s growth in electric bus usage demonstrates scaling urban mobility, while SMMT data reflects continued momentum across the broader country. Fleet electrification is advancing, yet vehicle segments like vans still await policy clarity and infrastructure support. The depot charging bottleneck poses a real risk to deployment timelines. Strategic investments from government are forthcoming, but their success hinges on coordinated rollout and alignment with operational realities.

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