In this Smart Infrastructure Blog, Dr Omar Abo Madyan, Research Associate in Material-Efficient Construction at CSIC, explores the challenges and opportunities in transforming the UK’s transport infrastructure to achieve net-zero goals. Balancing the need for maintenance, expansion and sustainability, the blog examines the impact of carbon-intensive materials, the role of emerging technologies, and the complexities of reducing emissions while meeting growing demands. It highlights the critical trade-offs in designing a resilient, future-proof transport system and discusses innovative strategies to navigate the path towards a more sustainable and efficient infrastructure.
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The UK's transport infrastructure stands at a critical crossroad, with bridges, roads, and railways across the nation feeling the strain of time. This ageing network will require a substantial allocation of resources and efforts merely to maintain current operational standards at the status quo. However, the challenge goes beyond simple preservation; it demands a radical transformation to meet increasing demands, withstand the impact of climate change and achieve sustainability and environmental goals. This transformation will fundamentally reshape the physical landscape of UK transportation and will likely include constructing new high-speed rail lines, expanding major road and rural networks, dedicated bus lanes and cycling infrastructure, and significant upgrades to ports and airports. Additionally, the electrification of transport networks will necessitate the widespread installation of charging points infrastructure and upgrades to the power grid.
The most effective carbon reduction measure is to build less and use fewer materials by optimising existing assets through smarter maintenance strategies and prioritising only necessary and responsible infrastructure growth. Dr Omar Abo Madyan, CSIC Research Associate, University of Cambridge.
Material challenges and net-zero dependencies
The transformation and maintenance of the transport infrastructure will require substantial material use, particularly carbon-intensive materials such as concrete, steel, and asphalt, which will notably affect the UK's carbon emissions and sustainability goals. Several comprehensive roadmaps have been established to achieve net zero across construction materials, with valuable commitments from various sectors within the value chain towards net- zero transformation and alignment with science-based targets. However, the pathway to net zero typically depends on advancements and breakthroughs in other sectors and technologies, including the transport sector (for material transport), the energy sector, alternative fuel supply (e.g., hydrogen), and greenhouse gas removal technologies. This dependency is crucial but may be impeded by technological uncertainties and could lead to significant burden shifts if reliance develops on adjacent technologies, such as carbon capture or hydrogen fuels. Unfortunately, these technologies still face significant uncertainties regarding scalability, economic feasibility and timelines. While notable advancements have been made in reducing the embodied carbon of carbon-intensive materials and in developing alternative low-carbon solutions, these alternatives require reliable access to specific raw materials and may face supply chain or feedstock limitations, such as with the use of Ground Granulated Blast-furnace Slag (GGBS) or fly ash for cement replacement. Such material-specific innovations still depend on breakthroughs in adjacent sectors to achieve net zero. Even then, if technologies like renewable energy, alternative fuels, and carbon capture fail to meet demand, they could be prioritised for other sectors, further complicating the pathway for net-zero construction materials.
Balancing growth with sustainability
While significant efforts have been made to reduce the embodied carbon of construction materials, every kilogram of carbon released into the atmosphere is critical, especially with the significant milestone (68% reduction in GHG by 2030 compared to 1990 levels) of 2030 approaching. Therefore, the most effective carbon reduction measure is to build less and use fewer materials by optimising existing assets through smarter maintenance strategies and prioritising only necessary and responsible infrastructure growth. This aligns with “build less” strategies across the construction industry; however, this is a complex balancing act between the need for carbon savings and the long-term vision of a resilient, future-proof transport system capable of supporting the UK's evolving economic and social needs. The question then arises: how can we maintain and renew the ageing infrastructure and deliver new national infrastructure projects while maintaining net-zero targets and carbon budgets?
The answer to this question lies in multiple dimensions and considerations across the transport sector and requires a holistic approach to decision-making that integrates various indicators and measures across the transport network and its assets. Considering sustainability aspects alone involves multiple dimensions, such as circularity, biodiversity, carbon emissions and other environmental indicators. These are not necessarily directly correlated; for example, not every circular solution has lower carbon emissions throughout its lifecycle, which could make weighing sustainability trade-offs and benefits more challenging. Other factors must also be considered such as design, operation, safety, durability, modal shifts, future traffic, capacity, performance and the impact of climate hazards. Additionally, the broader impact must be taken into account, whether that is the energy and communication sectors or political and economic contexts. The landscape of decision making can quickly become complex as you expand interdependencies and parameters related to transport infrastructure, often being overshadowed or overlooked by organisational or institutional constraints such as budgets or policy. Therefore, addressing the interconnected landscape within such constraints is crucial to rethinking how we maintain and build transport infrastructure.
Integrated systems thinking for a resilient future
Addressing these interconnected challenges effectively requires advanced systems analysis. The Research Hub for Decarbonised Adaptable and Resilient Transport Infrastructures (DARe Hub), funded by the Department for Transport and UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), highlights precisely this integrated systems perspective. DARe Hub emphasises that tackling these complexities demands advanced modelling tools capable of assessing transport infrastructure performance comprehensively against resilience and decarbonisation objectives, both now and into the future. The DARe Hub's approach involves identifying vulnerabilities within transport networks, quantifying failure risks under various scenarios, and facilitating robust "what if" analyses for proposed schemes. These analytical tools empower stakeholders to rigorously stress-test scenarios involving uncertainties such as population growth trends, emerging technologies, resource availability constraints, and climate change impacts. By doing so, stakeholders can make informed decisions that balance immediate needs with long-term sustainability goals ensuring transport infrastructure remains adaptable, resilient, and aligned with net-zero ambitions.