Green travel choices

First published: 14/06/2023 -

Last updated: 21/03/2024 -

A little more walking, cycling or wheeling and a little less time in cars and planes are green choices we can make to reduce our impact on the planet.

Transport is the third largest carbon emitting sector in Wales. The Government is working on ways to reduce harmful carbon emissions when we travel by making it easier, more affordable and more convenient for us all to use public transport and get around in a more active way.

The Welsh Government is committed to making green choices easier, more affordable and more convenient, and prioritising support where it is needed most. For advice and support to help you with the increased cost of living see gov.wales/help-cost-living. For information on public transport concessionary travel see TfW - Your Concessionary Travel Card.

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What can we do?

There are multiple active and shared travel options to lower our impact on the environment. To make our journeys greener, we can:

Active travel

Choose to walk, wheel, scoot or cycle as active ways to get around where you can. If you live close enough, walk to school or to work, and for longer journeys share rides with others and avoid unnecessary travel by car where you can.

Public transport

Opt for greener modes of transport, like buses or trains where you can to avoid traffic jams and reduce the number of cars on the road. If public transport isn’t an option for you, try car sharing.

Electric Vehicles (EV)

Learn more about electric vehicles. If you can afford to buy one, consider that electric vehicles produce fewer emissions and have lower servicing and maintenance costs than petrol or diesel vehicles

Fly less

Taking fewer flights is one of the best ways to reduce carbon emissions, as is holidaying in Wales or elsewhere in the UK. Only a very small percentage of the world flies frequently but in the UK, around half of people fly in any given year, and around 12-15% are frequent fliers.

Why take action?

The way we travel makes a big difference when it comes to protecting the planet. Greener transport will help reduce carbon emissions. We know that it’s not easy for everyone to leave the car behind; if you live in the countryside, you might not have access to frequent public transport, so car sharing is a more realistic goal. There are many reasons to think about travelling in a greener way. Here are some of them:

Reduce air and noise pollution

Reducing the number of cars on the road decreases air and noise pollution as well as carbon emissions. This will create a healthier environment for us and future generations.

Save money

Combining sustainable travel modes, like public transport and active travel can help you avoid traffic during rush hour and save fuel, parking and maintenance costs.

Improve your health and wellbeing

Regular physical activity from walking, using a scooter, wheeling or cycling provides many physical and mental health benefits. This includes reducing the risk of disease; managing existing conditions; making it easier to maintain a healthy weight; and boosting mood and reducing anxiety levels. Incorporating physical activity into your daily routines is an easy way to increase your activity levels. Reducing use of your car and taking public transport when you can, will allow you to relax and avoid the stress of driving.

Improve road safety

One of the main factors deterring many of us from walking, cycling or wheeling is not feeling safe. Taking action such as driving more slowly, giving priority to pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders and avoiding parking on pavements will encourage more people to take up active travel in our communities, as well as reduce the number of collisions on our roads and make our streets safer.

Connect with people

Getting the bus, train or car sharing encourages social interactions. It can help you get to know people and spend time with your family and friends.

What is Wales doing?

Wales wants to increase the proportion of trips made by active ways of travelling to 33% by 2030 and public transport to 7% by 2030. To achieve this, the Government is making active modes of transport safe and more accessible, encouraging everyone to choose green transport alternatives.

The Welsh Government is also taking action to:

Improve public transport
Transport for Wales is working to create an efficient and affordable public transport system. The Metro projects in North and South Wales will create a network of bus, rail and active travel, so it’ll be easier to connect and travel sustainably. In March 2023 the first South Wales Metro trains were introduced.
Make railway stations greener
The natural environment is being enhanced at 25 railway stations in Wales through the Transport for Wales Green Routes project, creating green spaces and enhancing biodiversity.
Invest in active travel
The Welsh Government invested £75m in 2021-22 in active travel routes and facilities to help local authorities create a network of new and improved cycle and walking routes in Wales. These include area-wide networks of better, safer cycling tracks – physically separated from traffic, including networks linking villages to towns in rural areas. This is an ongoing project, and the Government is continuing to invest in active travel to provide further routes to cover even more areas of the country. 
Local authorities and other public service bodies across Wales are also offering e-bike hire schemes (like this regional initiative) and e-bike loans (for example E-Move for those living in Aberystwyth, Rhyl, Barry, Swansea, Newtown and surrounding areas).
Promote the real social network
The real social network aims to inspire people to travel more sustainably when they’re meeting friends, travelling for leisure or returning to work.
Introduce electric buses
You can now use electric buses for the TrawsCymru T1 route between Carmarthen and Aberystwyth. Cardiff Bus has been introducing a fleet of zero-emission electric buses to our capital city meaning better air quality and quieter roads.
Modernise taxi services
The Government is working on making taxi services in Wales safer, greener and fairer.
Increase the uptake of zero emission cars and vans
The Welsh Government supports the plans to end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans from 2030, and for all new cars and vans to be zero emission by 2035.
Invest in EV charging infrastructure
The EV charging infrastructure is being expanded to allow easier access for all of us. Over £20m has already been invested in EV charging.
Review roads projects
The Welsh Government will only invest in roads for projects which reduce carbon emissions, support a shift to public transport, walking and cycling, improve safety and help adapt to the impacts of climate change.
20mph speed limit
The Welsh Government has introduced a 20mph speed limit on residential roads and busy pedestrian streets across Wales. Although this is being introduced to create safer and healthier communities, it also helps in the fight against climate change. One of its aims is to encourage more people to walk and cycle, to reduce carbon emissions.
Introduce the Environment (Air Quality and Soundscapes) (Wales) Bill
This sets out ways to improve the quality of the air environment in Wales, which will help reduce the impact of harmful emissions on our health, economy, nature and biodiversity.
Encourage remote working
To reduce traffic, remote working and working near to home, where possible, is encouraged.
Reduce aviation emissions
The UK Government is bringing forward proposals to increase fuel efficiency in aeroplanes, develop zero emission aircraft and speed up the supply and use of sustainable aviation fuels.
Encouraging active travel to school
See what Public Health Wales are doing to promote active travel to school and Sustrans Active Journeys Programme for Schools.

More information

To find out more about the benefits of green transport and how it can help reduce your carbon footprint, explore these resources.

Carmarthenshire County Council explains the benefits of walking to school and ideas to get started.
Electric Vehicles – Find out more about the benefits of electric vehicles.
Fly less – Read more about air travel and its environmental impact.
Active Travel Network Maps - A list of fully approved active travel routes.
The Metro projects - Metro projects in North and South Wales to make it easier for you to travel by train, bus, bike or on foot. 
Electric buses – Find out more about zero-emission electric buses in Wales. 
Energy Saving Trust guide to efficient driving.
Green Journal suggests ways to make your commute more environmentally friendly.
The Green Routes scheme is making railway stations greener.
See more about the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s e-bike hire scheme.
Think differently about public transport with the real social network.
New electric buses for TrawsCymru.
Read more about proposals to modernise taxi services and the new 20mph speed limit.
Read more about how keeping to 60mph and below can reduce emissions and save fuel.
The Vale of Glamorgan Council’s E-bike hire scheme and Bicycle repair stations 
E-Move: Piloting e-bike and e-cargo bike loans in Aberystwyth, Rhyl, Barry, Swansea, Newtown and surrounding areas. 
The regional project, Refurbs Flint Bike Upcycling, cleans and repairs unwanted bikes before selling them at an affordable price. 
The real social network – A network that inspires people to think differently about public transport and make more sustainable travel choices.
The Metro projects – Metro projects in North and South Wales to make it easier for you to travel by train, bus, bike or on foot.
Save money, time and effort with the TfW app.
Apply for a bus pass if you’re aged 16-21 or find out about railcards.
BBC article about how our daily travel harms the planet and what we can do.
Get support and advice to help you with the increased cost of living.