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New data from the latest wave of the Climate Barometer tracker shows a growing popularity of some key sustainable travel policies.
Net support (the percentage of respondents saying they ‘support’ a policy minus the percentage of those saying the ‘oppose’ it) for introducing low-traffic neighbourhoods now stands at 43%, the highest since measurement began in October 2023.
Similarly, net support for investment in incentives and infrastructure around electric cars has also increased to 37%, thus bouncing back to levels seen towards the beginning of the tracker.
Whilst support for better EV infrastructure is high, the policy proposal to phase out the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030 remains much less popular: despite having rebounded to net positive levels as of August 2026, the policy receives a net support of only 10% across the UK public.
The latest Climate Barometer tracker shows some changes in how the public are engaging in pro-climate personal actions.
In August 2026, more of the public said that they are walking, cycling or using public transport (41%) compared to last year (30% in April 2025), an increase of 11%. More people also report having improved their home insulation (+5%), installed solar panels (+4%), bought local products and reduce food waste (+4%), signed petitions (+4%) and driven electric cars instead of petrol or diesel cars (+3%).
Fewer people report recycling and reducing plastic use (-16%). On other measures, there has been little visible change.
Making sense of public opinion on clean air zones
Public opinion on clean air zones and liveable neighbourhoods can sometimes appear to be contradictory. If clean air zones acquire the reputation of being unpopular, this is likely to prevent the ‘quiet majority’ who support them from making their own voices heard.