New report reveals number of hauliers committed to reducing carbon emisssions and their likely choice of fuel

The vast majority of UK transport firms are committed to actively reducing their carbon emissions over the next five years, a new survey has showed.

It found 94% of transport and logistics companies will attempt to go green by 2027, although the figure dropped to two-thirds when asked if they were currently active in implementing net-zero policies.

When asked which technologies they planned to adopt, 55% of respondents said battery electric vehicles were the most commercially viable green solution.

This was followed by 42% who highlighted AI and data learning across operations as the most likely option and 29% of transport companies who favoured sharing of real-time data across the supply chain.

The survey, carried out by telecoms firm Neos Networks, also uncovered division in the industry over whether the government’s 2050 net-zero target can be achieved, with 55% positive about the deadline and 45% unconvinced.

The greatest barrier to hitting the target for 61% of firms was high investment costs, followed by a concern that some shippers were favouring lower costs over greener practices.

Joanne Green, Neos Networks sales director, said: “We regularly talk to leaders in the transport sector, and hear about the challenges they face when it comes to decarbonisation.

“Smart tech, AI and real-time data are already being introduced by many to enable them to become more efficient. These can be important first steps on the road to achieving net-zero.”

Business comparison site iCompario said exploring new technologies was the key to making changes: “There are ways to ‘go green’ in the industry by electrifying fleets, however, this comes at a substantial capital cost to the organisation,” said Kerry Fawcett, iCompario digital director.

“A soft route into this will be through the use of technology and insights into operating behaviour of vehicles and drivers to better understand how this can be improved.

“Reducing idling hours, monitoring fuel usage and insights into driver behaviour will give leaders granular detail to make environmentally aware decisions regarding the use of their carbon-emitting assets.”