Low Emission Strategies

The Low Emission Strategies (LES) Partnership is based around a group of local authorities working together to reduce transport emissions of air pollutants and greenhouse gases.

Approach

The LES work programme focuses on supporting and profiling good practice. The Partnership specifically seeks to accelerate the deployment and penetration of low emission transport fuels and technologies. This is achieved by supporting local authorities to adopt and implement low emission policies, strategies and measures.

Our work is funded by grants from Central Government in combination with significant match/in-kind funding from wider participating organisations.

Planning-Based Low Emission Strategies

As defined by the Partnership, a planning-based Low Emission Strategy provides a package of measures to help mitigate the transport impacts of development. The primary aim is to reduce transport emissions by accelerating the uptake of low emission fuels and technologies in and around a development site.

Strategies may be secured through a combination of planning conditions and legal obligations (section 106 agreements), and potentially in future through the Community Infrastructure Levy. They may incorporate policy measures and/or require financial contributions to the delivery of low emission transport projects and plans, e.g. emission based parking policies, investment in low emission infrastructure, fleet emission improvement, low emission procurement and supply chain initiatives and contributions to local transport projects and strategic monitoring.

In reducing transport emissions, low emission strategies improve local air quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with climate change. They also contribute to local government performance targets, provide local economic benefits, help to streamline planning decisions and contribute to wider sustainable development goals.

LES in Transport Planning and Procurement

During Phase I, much of the Partnership’s work focussed on planning-based Low Emission Strategies. We are now working on a range of other applications, including incorporation of low emission strategies into Local Transport Plans and the development of Procurement Guidance for Local Authorities.

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