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Transport greenhouse gas emissions

Estimates of emissions of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide, by transport sub-sector and local authority area

Transport Net Zero
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North East transport emissions in 2022

  • In 2022, greenhouse gas emissions from transport in the North East totalled 2,989 kt CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent)
  • This was just under 33% of total North East greenhouse gas emissions
  • About 48% of North East transport emissions were from A roads, with 41.5% from minor roads, 7.5% from motorways and the remaining 3% from diesel railways and other transport
  • Almost half of transport emissions were in County Durham and Northumberland (29% and 20%, respectively). 12% to 13% were in each of Gateshead, Newcastle and Sunderland, with 9% in North Tyneside and 5% in South Tyneside
  • Taking the resident populations into account, the North East had a lower rate of transport emissions per head than England and the fourth lowest rate among the nine combined authority areas in the north and midlands
  • Within the North East, transport emissions per head were highest in Gateshead and Northumberland
  • The relative lack of motorways in the North East means that road transport emissions in 2022 were more likely to be from other road types than was the case nationally or in similar combined authority areas.

Recent changes in North East transport emissions

  • Between 2021 and 2022, transport greenhouse gas emissions in the North East increased by 32 kt CO2e, the second successive annual increase after a much larger rise between 2020 and 2021
  • The latest rise continued to reflect the impact of the lifting of Covid restrictions after a sharp decrease between 2019 and 2020 when they were introduced
  • The largest contributor to the North East increase in the latest year was transport on A roads, with emissions from motorway transport actually decreasing
  • Within the North East, transport emissions in Gateshead, County Durham and Northumberland decreased in the latest year but increased in the other four local authority areas
  • Despite the increase in the latest two years, the latest North East transport emissions were still 432 kt CO2e lower than in the pre-Covid year of 2019
  • Falls on emissions from transport on A roads and on minor roads made the largest contributions to the overall decrease in North East emissions since 2019. The fall in emissions in County Durham made the largest contribution to the decrease, geographically.

North East transport emissions since 2005

  • Transport emissions in the North East in 2022 were about 22% lower than in 2005
  • This change was made up of a gradual decrease of 14% between 2005 and 2013; a small (3%) increase between 2013 and 2019; a 19% decrease between 2019 and 2020 and a 8% increase in the latest two years
  • Emissions from minor roads, diesel railways and other non-road transport all decreased by a similar percentage between 2005 and 2022 (falls of 26% to 28%). The percentage decrease in emissions from A roads was slightly smaller (20%) but for motorways in was much smaller (a fall of only 3%)
  • Over the same period, transport emissions in each of the five local authority areas in Tyne and Wear decreased by between 26% and 31% but the percentage decreases in Northumberland and County Durham were less than half this.

Geographical comparisons of changes 

  • In the year to 2022, the North East was one of the four combined authority areas in the north and midlands that had increases in transport emissions. It had the third highest percentage increase among these. Locally, the largest percentage increase was in South Tyneside 
  • The percentage decrease in North East emissions between 2019 and 2022 was the fourth smallest among the nine combined authority areas in the north and midlands. Gateshead, Sunderland and Newcastle had the largest percentage decreases within the North East
  • Over a longer time period (since 2005) the North East had the median percentage decrease in transport emissions among the north and midlands combined authority areas. Newcastle and Sunderland had the largest percentage decreases, locally
  • The North East percentage decreases since 2005 in transport emissions from minor roads and diesel railways were both larger than the national equivalent. The percentage decreases from motorways and A roads were both smaller than nationally.

About the data

The Department for Energy Security & Net Zero (DESNZ) publishes annual estimates of end-user greenhouse gas emissions for local authority areas in the UK.

The release covers emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O). and the latest edition was published on 27 June 2024 and includes statistics for 2005 to 2022.

The main data sources are the UK National Atmospheric Emissions Inventory and DESNZ local energy consumption statistics. The local estimates do not include emissions from aviation, shipping and military transport, as these have no obvious basis for allocation to local areas. Emissions of fluorinated gases are also excluded. These accounted for about 2% of UK emissions in 2022, but suitable datasets are not available to estimate these emissions at a local level.

This page focuses on emissions from transport and includes estimates of the breakdown of road transport emissions by road type.  It includes comparisons of data for theNorth East combined authority (CA) area, with the data for the other eight CA areas in the North and Midlands and in London and the West of England (the Bristol and Bath area).