HOME » NEWS LOCAL AUTHORITIES SUSTAINABILITYNew tool allows councils to measure and reduce carbon

A pioneering new initiative to help local highway authorities across England reduce carbon emissions from road maintenance will be available from June 2025.

Developed by Proving Services in partnership with the Association of Directors of Environment, Economy, Planning & Transport (ADEPT), the Carbon Leadership Programme is being supported by the Department for Transport.

Billed as a first-of-its-kind programme, it introduces a standardised approach for councils to calculate emissions generated through local road maintenance and identify where targeted action can deliver meaningful carbon reductions.

The initiative will be rolled out in two modules:

• Baseline Carbon Assessment – measuring emissions from current activities.

• Best Practice Carbon Assessment – identifying and sharing effective strategies to reduce emissions.

  
  

Angela Jones, President of ADEPT, said:“For too long, the sector has lacked the standardised tools needed to accurately measure and tackle carbon emissions from road maintenance activities. This programme finally provides that missing piece of the puzzle – giving our members practical, evidence-based methods to understand their carbon footprint and take action to reduce it.”

The Carbon Leadership Programme aims to:

• Equip all local highway authorities in England with practical, consistent tools.

• Encourage the development and implementation of carbon reduction strategies.

• Build a knowledge-sharing platform to promote sector-wide learning.

• Create a national data resource to support collaborative action and innovation.

Lilian Greenwood, Minister for the Future of Roads, commented:“Smoother roads are our priority, but it’s important we also take steps to reduce carbon emissions. We’re supporting ADEPT’s Carbon Leadership Programme to equip local highways authorities with the tools they need to accelerate the sector’s transition to net zero.”

By standardising how emissions are measured and addressed, the programme represents a major step toward environmentally responsible road maintenance and supports broader climate targets.