Responding to the news that the Government has brought forward
the end date of the sale of new petrol and diesel cars to 2030,
Paul Tuohy, Chief Executive of Campaign for Better Transport,
said:
“This is great news for the environment and for our health and
should help steer us back onto the road to net zero. But we must
remember that electric vehicles alone are not a silver bullet to
reducing carbon emissions and air pollution, and they do nothing
to tackle congestion on our roads. We still need to reduce the
overall number of cars and vans on the roads by providing more
public transport, walking and cycling alternatives.
“The Government must now use the Spending Review to support
sustainable transport alternatives and rebalance the cost of
public transport. The Chancellor should announce an end to the
fuel duty freeze and look to introduce a distance-based, variable
road pricing scheme to replace both fuel duty and Vehicle Excise
Duty to help plug the hole in lost revenue as cars get
progressively cleaner.”
Campaign for Better Transport has written to the Chancellor
urging him to support sustainable transport in the
forthcoming Comprehensive Spending Review. The letter outlined
specific measures to help decarbonise the transport sector,
including financial incentives to encourage the take up of zero
emission cars and vans with lower upfront costs for businesses;
VED rates linked to emissions; charging hub grants for local
authorities; and a manufacturing sector deal for both electric
and hydrogen buses and trains to boost UK supply chains and
reduce reliance on overseas technology and suppliers.
