'A lot of challenges to get to net zero', RBWM meeting told

Councillors have called for improvements to the borough's sustainable travel and raised concerns about the authority falling behind on its net zero target.

At a place overview and scrutiny panel on Monday (September 29), council leader Simon Werner and council officers presented the Royal Borough’s draft environment and climate strategy.

The strategy is due to be adopted in the spring, with a focus on energy, transport, the natural environment, waste, governance and finance.

Council leader Simon Werner (Lib Dem, Pinkneys Green) said: “We need to fix the mess of the climate emergency so putting climate considerations at the heart of council decision making and budgeting is so important.”

The borough's target is to achieve net zero by 2050, by which time the amount of greenhouse gas emissions should be no more than those being removed from the atmosphere.

To work towards this, a report on the strategy said the council secured a near £1million grant to install more electric vehicle charging points.

But councillors were still sceptical about the borough's net zero target.

Cllr Kashmir Singh (Ind, Riverside) said: “We should have been getting to net zero, according to Priestley Centre, by 2028. It seems the target is way, way behind.”

The Priestley Centre for Climate Futures is a climate centre based at the University of Leeds.

Hayley George, the council’s net zero energy manager, recognised that achieving net zero is ‘challenging’.

Ms George said: “We are aware that we are a bit behind, that’s not surprising. There is quite a lot of challenges to get to net zero.

“Things like retrofitting, energy efficiency and also transport are really, really difficult areas to decarbonise, and there is a lot behind those doors."

New bus contracts were introduced in April this year. But councillors asked how sustainable transport will be integrated further.

Cllr George Blundell (Lib Dem, Hurley and Walthams) said: “We’ve got the new buses that have come through but I’m pretty sure they’re still diesel.

“I’ve been to Reading enough times and always seen their hydrogen electric gas-powered buses. It would be really great to see if there was ambition for RBWM to introduce buses like that.”

Cllr Werner agreed that having more ‘environmentally friendly buses, cars, everything’ is ‘a good thing’.

The chair of the committee, Councillor Gary Reeves (Lib Dem, Cox Green) was worried that the borough’s housebuilding targets are negatively impacting wildlife.

Cllr Reeves said: “We’re losing crucial land that is currently inhabited by deer and other animals which need to be protected, and they’re just being forced out.”

Cllr Werner agreed that the strategy should focus more on how wildlife can be protected.

He said: “We’re given these housing targets by the Government but what effect does that have on the wildlife and biodiversity of the borough.

“It’s just absolutely tragic and short-sighted.”

Councillors also wanted to know why rail transport is not included in the strategy at all.

Cllr Kashmir Singh said ‘there is no parking’ at Maidenhead Railway Station so residents are less likely to use rail transport.

Cllr Reeves (Lib Dem, Cox Green) agreed that the strategy should include the Elizabeth line, which runs through Maidenhead.

Cllr Werner said that council officers will look at how to incorporate rail transport in the strategy before it is finalised.

Cllr Werner said: “I was one of the main people that argued against the scheme outside Maidenhead Train Station.

“It’s an absolute huge waste of money by the previous [Conservative] administration. It took away lots of parking, lots of drop-off points.”

He added that the Royal Borough’s MP, Joshua Reynolds, is currently in contact with railway authorities to see how the parking situation can be improved.