A Rapid Evidence Synthesis of Policy Mechanisms To Reduce Greenhouse Gases from Transport In Rural Areas

The transport sector in the United Kingdom represents a significant contributor to national greenhouse gas emissions, necessitating focused climate change mitigation strategies. While urban areas have seen the successful implementation of policies targeting vehicle emissions over the last two decades, such as Ultra Low Emission Zones and Clean Air Zones in cities, the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from rural transport has received comparatively less scholarly attention. To address this disparity, a rapid review was conducted following the PRISMA protocol to evaluate the current state of research. The screening process of 565 potentially relevant publications yielded only 11 eligible studies for inclusion in the review. The limited volume of existing articles containing primary data suggests that further empirical research is needed to assess effective policy interventions for rural transport emission mitigation. Nevertheless, preliminary syntheses from this review suggest that enhancements in public transport provision, including responsive transport services, alongside the promotion of active travel and shared transport initiatives, offer potential avenues for greenhouse gas emission reduction in rural areas.