Government cuts to grants for green cars is putting the UK in the
slow lane in the drive to alternatively fuelled vehicles, the UK
and Ireland’s largest union, Unite warned today (Thursday 4 July),
as car registration figures showed demand has fallen for the first
month in two years. According to the Society of Motor
Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), 13,314 alternatively fuelled cars
were registered in the UK last month, down 11.8% on the 15,099
registered during June 2018. ...Request free trial
Government cuts to grants for green cars is putting the UK in the
slow lane in the drive to alternatively fuelled vehicles, the UK
and Ireland’s largest union, Unite warned today (Thursday 4 July),
as car registration figures showed demand has fallen for the first
month in two years.
According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT),
13,314 alternatively fuelled cars were registered in the UK last
month, down 11.8% on the 15,099 registered during June
2018.
The SMMT said the decline was driven by a reduction in sales of
hybrid cars.
It is the first time the alternatively fuelled car sector has seen
negative growth since April 2017. Government grants for new
low-emission cars were slashed in October last year, meaning hybrid
models are no longer eligible for the scheme.
Unite assistant general secretary Steve Turner said: “It is no
coincidence that new registrations for alternatively powered cars
have gone into reverse after the government’s failure to invest in
the necessary infrastructure and the short sighted decision to
slash green grants and scrap them for hybrid cars.
“After demonising diesel and setting targets to ban future sales of
petrol and diesel cars, ministers should be stepping up investment
in electric charging infrastructure, using public procurement to
support a ‘just transition’ towards a greener economy and doing
more to assist the industry and consumers in the drive to
alternatively powered cars.
“Instead the UK is the slow lane behind other countries such as
France and Germany when it comes to purchasing support and charging
infrastructure, as well as investment in battery technology,
manufacturing and recycling.
"UK car makers are facing a perfect storm of global and
technological challenges while grappling with continued Brexit
uncertainty. These latest car registrations should be a wake-up
call to the two Tory leadership contenders currently engaged in a
no-deal Brexit bidding war.
“ and need to wake up to the harm that
a no-deal Brexit will have on people’s livelihoods and futures.
They need to take no-deal off the table and commit to securing a
customs union with the European Union which guarantees the
frictionless trade and tariff free access that is central to the
success of the UK car industry and wider manufacturing.”
