Thank you for contacting me with your concerns on the petrol and diesel ban, and electric vehicles.
It is important that we as a country take action to tackle climate change to help mitigate its effects, which include flooding, costal erosion and other issues caused by extreme weather. To play our part in tackling this global issue, the UK aims to eliminate our contribution to climate change and achieve net zero by 2050.
Bringing forward the end the sale of petrol and diesel cars and vans to 2030 and increasing the use of electric vehicles will play a crucial role in helping the UK to hit this ambitious, legally binding target. I want to assure you that the Government is putting in place the infrastructure to facilitate the accelerated transition to electric vehicles – including public chargepoints, residential on-street chargepoints as well as rapid and smart chargepoints.
I welcome that the Government is investing £3.5 billion to support the automotive sector and consumers in the transition to zero emissions vehicles. This includes: £1 billion of Government investment to support the electrification of UK vehicles and their supply chains; £620 million for targeted electric vehicle grants and infrastructure; and £275 million to extend support for charge point installation at homes, workplaces and on-street locations.
So far, government funding, alongside private sector investment, has supported the installation of more than 32,000 public electric vehicle charging devices, including over 6,000 rapid chargepoints – one of the largest networks in Europe. But there is much more to do. That is why I am glad that consumers will soon be able to compare costs across charging networks in a recognisable format similar to pence per litre for fuel and there will be new standards to ensure reliable charging for electric vehicle drivers.
On motorcycles specifically, these can make a significant contribution to addressing our country’s transport and traffic issues. Indeed, they can reduce congestion and represent an affordable alternative to the car, delivering independence and mobility as well as broadening employment opportunities. The Government is investing in a plug-in motorcycle grant scheme, which is available for eligible zero emission motorcycles and mopeds across the UK.
Subject to consultation, all new motorcycles will have to be fully zero emissions at the tailpipe by 2035. I am assured that the Government will continue to support the transition with a package of financial and non-financial incentives. The Government recently sought opinions as to when the UK should stop selling new non-zero emission L-category vehicles, such as motorcycles, and I look forward to their response in due course.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.
Thank you for contacting me about the plans to end the sale of all petrol and diesel vehicles in the UK by 2035.
In November 2020, the then Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, announced that the sale of new petrol and diesel cars in the United Kingdom would be phased out by 2030 and that all new cars and vans would be zero emission by 2035. This target has the support of both the Government and the Opposition.
The evidence is clear that transport is our country’s largest emitting sector, responsible for 24% of the UK’s total emissions in 2020. While it is true that motorcycles are less polluting than other combustion engine vehicles, there were over 1.4 million motorcycles licensed in 2020 and the Department for Transport has stated that it “does not want to see them remaining fossil fuelled as the rest of the vehicle fleet cleans up.” It points out that zero emission powered light vehicles are a clean and efficient way of getting around and can reduce congestion, air, and noise pollution from transport.
I agree with the 2030 and 2035 targets. In my view, decarbonising our transport sector is one of the most pressing challenges that we face as a nation, and we need more ambition and more action from this Government if we are to meet net zero. Nevertheless, I respect that you have a different view and I hope that the Government reflects on the concerns that you raise. It is important that, at the same time as accelerating the phase out of combustion engines, Ministers also set out a credible plan as to how this will be done. Such a plan should, in my view, prioritise the creation of low-carbon jobs and industries and it must ensure that communities are properly supported as we make the transition to a greener economy.
More widely, I recognise that it is important for motorcyclists that roads are kept in a good condition. In my view, the Department for Transport should be doing more to ensure that this is the case.
Thank you once again for contacting me about this issue.
Thank you for contacting me with your concerns on the petrol and diesel ban, and electric vehicles.
It is important that we as a country take action to tackle climate change to help mitigate its effects, which include flooding, costal erosion and other issues caused by extreme weather. To play our part in tackling this global issue, the UK aims to eliminate our contribution to climate change and achieve net zero by 2050.
Bringing forward the end the sale of petrol and diesel cars and vans to 2030 and increasing the use of electric vehicles will play a crucial role in helping the UK to hit this ambitious, legally binding target. I want to assure you that the Government is putting in place the infrastructure to facilitate the accelerated transition to electric vehicles – including public chargepoints, residential on-street chargepoints as well as rapid and smart chargepoints.
I welcome that the Government is investing £3.5 billion to support the automotive sector and consumers in the transition to zero emissions vehicles. This includes: £1 billion of Government investment to support the electrification of UK vehicles and their supply chains; £620 million for targeted electric vehicle grants and infrastructure; and £275 million to extend support for charge point installation at homes, workplaces and on-street locations.
So far, government funding, alongside private sector investment, has supported the installation of more than 32,000 public electric vehicle charging devices, including over 6,000 rapid chargepoints – one of the largest networks in Europe. But there is much more to do. That is why I am glad that consumers will soon be able to compare costs across charging networks in a recognisable format similar to pence per litre for fuel and there will be new standards to ensure reliable charging for electric vehicle drivers.
Thank you for contacting me with your concerns on the petrol and diesel ban, and electric vehicles.
It is important that we as a country take action to tackle climate change to help mitigate its effects, which include flooding, costal erosion and other issues caused by extreme weather. To play our part in tackling this global issue, the UK aims to eliminate our contribution to climate change and achieve net zero by 2050.
Bringing forward the end the sale of petrol and diesel cars and vans to 2030 and increasing the use of electric vehicles will play a crucial role in helping the UK to hit this ambitious, legally binding target.
Subject to consultation, all new motorcycles will have to be fully zero emissions at the tailpipe by 2035. I am assured that the Government will continue to support the transition with a package of financial and non-financial incentives. The Government recently sought opinions as to when the UK should stop selling new non-zero emission L-category vehicles, such as motorcycles, and I look forward to their response in due course.
Motorcycles can make a significant contribution to addressing our country’s transport and traffic issues. Indeed, they can reduce congestion and represent an affordable alternative to the car, delivering independence and mobility as well as broadening employment opportunities.
I want to assure you that the Government is putting in place the infrastructure to facilitate the accelerated transition to electric vehicles – including public chargepoints, residential on-street chargepoints as well as rapid and smart chargepoints. The Government is also investing in a plug-in motorcycle grant scheme, which is available for eligible zero emission motorcycles and mopeds across the UK.
I welcome that the Government is investing £3.5 billion to support the automotive sector and consumers in the transition to zero emissions vehicles. This includes: £1 billion of Government investment to support the electrification of UK vehicles and their supply chains; £620 million for targeted electric vehicle grants and infrastructure; and £275 million to extend support for charge point installation at homes, workplaces and on-street locations.
So far, government funding, alongside private sector investment, has supported the installation of more than 32,000 public electric vehicle charging devices, including over 6,000 rapid chargepoints – one of the largest networks in Europe. But there is much more to do. That is why I am glad that consumers will soon be able to compare costs across charging networks in a recognisable format similar to pence per litre for fuel and there will be new standards to ensure reliable charging for electric vehicle drivers.
In regards to your specific concerns, I have written to the Minister and asked them to look into the issues that you raised. I will, of course, let you know as soon as I receive a response.
In the meantime, if you have any further enquiries on this or any other matter, please don’t hesitate to contact me.
Thank you very much for contacting me about government proposals on the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles in the future, and motorcycles in particular.
I have written to the Department for Transport to raise the points you make on your behalf. I recognise the importance that motorbikes have for many people.
I understand that the Department for Transport (DfT) has proposed that from 2030 there would be a ban on the sale of all new non-zero emission mopeds, and low performance motorcycles and scooters up to 125cc and 11kW.
It is also proposing that the sale of all medium- and high-powered motorcycles would be banned from 2035 (or earlier if feasible).
The current situation appears to be that the government has carried out a public consultation on its proposals which closed on 21 September 2022 and the DfT is currently analysing the results.
I take careful note of the economic and environmental arguments you make regarding a transition to electric vehicles. These are government proposals and as a Labour MP I will only make some general points about the debate as Labour is developing its own plans for transport.
Whilst electric vehicles are not a magic solution to tackling carbon emissions from transport, the independent Office for Climate Change argues that they are definitely a key part of the answer.
Transport is the sector of the UK economy that emits the highest emissions, so any plan to reduce the UK’s carbon emissions overall would clearly need to cut transport emissions significantly.
Emissions from cars and taxis make up around 55% of transport emissions so they would necessarily be the focus within transport, whilst motorcycle emissions account for a relatively much smaller percentage of total transport emissions at 0.4%.
Your plan to encourage people to move away from car use deserves consideration. One element of that is investment in sustainable public transport which I think is very important.
I was pleased to see that in March 2021 the Liverpool City Region announced the roll out of a new fleet of hydrogen-powered buses. That followed the approval of a new franchise model to bring bus services under greater public control, as well as the introduction of new £2 fares to reduce the cost of travel.
I would just point out though that the Office of Climate Change sees both the transition to the use of electric vehicles and a major shift towards the use of sustainably powered public transport as essential to tackle climate change, rather than alternatives.
I take note of what you say about the current cost of buying and using an electric vehicle, the time taken to charge a vehicle, the need to develop the charging network, the life span of batteries and the way that metals to make them are mined.
You are quite right that all of those issues need to be addressed. We also can’t be certain of what future work-life patterns will be as the pandemic and the current energy crisis has distorted so much of what we formerly took for granted.
Nevertheless, it is likely that people will continue to want to drive for all sorts of reasons, such as to take someone to hospital or to get a weekly shop for example, even if they work from home.
The Office of Climate Change highlights in its latest report that ‘almost all major manufacturers have now committed to transitioning their supply chains to focus on EVs’, and ‘that EVs are progressing towards mass-market appeal’.
There is increasing awareness that this is a health issue as well as an economic and environmental one. Whilst levels of air pollution in UK towns and cities have fallen over the longer term, they are still unacceptably high.
Thank you once again for raising this issue with me and sharing with me the contributions of the Motorcycle Action Group to the debate. I do appreciate that there will be costs involved in the transition to electric vehicles and that the government has not done enough to develop the infrastructure that will be needed.
Nevertheless, there are opportunities as well for the creation of new skilled jobs and to improve public health at the same time as tackling climate change. I will be interested to read the response from the Department of Transport to my letter and I will pass that on to you.
I would be happy to meet with you at my constituency office; my office manager will contact you to make arrangements.
Kevin Hollinrake MP: Conservative – Thirsk and Malton
Dear […..],
Thank you for contacting me with your concerns on the petrol and diesel ban, and electric vehicles.
It is important that we as a country take action to tackle climate change to help mitigate its effects, which include flooding, costal erosion and other issues caused by extreme weather. To play our part in tackling this global issue, the UK aims to eliminate our contribution to climate change and achieve net zero by 2050.
Bringing forward the end the sale of petrol and diesel cars and vans to 2030 and increasing the use of electric vehicles will play a crucial role in helping the UK to hit this ambitious, legally binding target. I want to assure you that the Government is putting in place the infrastructure to facilitate the accelerated transition to electric vehicles – including public chargepoints, residential on-street chargepoints as well as rapid and smart chargepoints.
I welcome that the Government is investing £3.5 billion to support the automotive sector and consumers in the transition to zero emissions vehicles. This includes: £1 billion of Government investment to support the electrification of UK vehicles and their supply chains; £620 million for targeted electric vehicle grants and infrastructure; and £275 million to extend support for charge point installation at homes, workplaces and on-street locations.
So far, government funding, alongside private sector investment, has supported the installation of more than 32,000 public electric vehicle charging devices, including over 6,000 rapid chargepoints – one of the largest networks in Europe. But there is much more to do. That is why I am glad that consumers will soon be able to compare costs across charging networks in a recognisable format similar to pence per litre for fuel and there will be new standards to ensure reliable charging for electric vehicle drivers.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.
While I support all efforts to tackle climate change, we need to make sure the solutions we find are practical before we discard previous technology and close other avenues of research. Having ambitious targets and cut off dates can be useful, but in this area I believe that the Government need to be more flexible and consider the points being raised by MAG and others.
Tim Loughton MP: Conservative – East Worthing and Shoreham
Dear [……..]
As someone who has long campaigned on the importance of protecting our environment, combating climate change and transitioning to net zero I support the Government’s ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles from 2030. This is because it will greatly lower our country’s emissions, improve public health and offers significant economic opportunities.
Before I get into the substance of my response, other than the CEBR analysis, which I note was part funded by the Motorcycle Action Group, I was not able to access the links you provided in your email.
In 2020, roughly one quarter of the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions came from our transport network, with road vehicles responsible for 91% of these emissions. Transitioning to electric vehicles (EVs) will therefore help reduce the UK’s emissions significantly. While cars and vans vastly outnumber motorcycles on UK roads, motorcycles are an important and sizeable vehicle population, with 1.3 million currently licensed in 2021.
Of course the transition to all EVs will not be immediate or total. Following the announcement of the 2030 policy by Boris Johnson in 2020, there is roughly a decade to put everything in place necessary to support the transition.
Take up of EVs was increasing slowly before the Government announced the 2030 cut-off date and will continue to do so more quickly as a result. The growth of electric vehicles can be seen in Government figures for new vehicle registrations. Comparing 2021 with 2020, there were:
2.3 million vehicles registered for the first time in 2021 in the UK, up 5%
327,000 plug-in vehicles registered for the first time in 2021 in the UK, up 77%
Interestingly, figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show that in December 2022 the top two most bought cars in the UK were the Tesla Model Y and the Tesla Model 3.
Regarding the costs the CEBR report puts on the various aspects of the transition to EVs, understandably these are based on 2022 costs. However, this will not be an accurate reflection of how costs change over the years. As with any other industry, as a product becomes more popular and a greater range of models becomes available average prices will drop and there will be different price points for people buying a new vehicle. The range of electric vehicles currently is not as great as for internal combustion engine models, but even before the Government’s announcement of the 2030 policy the EV market was already expanding and offering a far greater range of vehicles. Technological and manufacturing improvements will also bring costs down. This is already happening; battery prices are little more than a tenth of what they were in 2010.
A clear demonstration of how innovation and investment is improving EVs is how the range of EVs has increased. Range is one of the most commonly cited concerns about EVs, but again the SMMT shows how much battery technology has improved. At their Test Day held in 2011, the average range of a battery electric vehicle was just 74 miles. This had risen to 257 miles by the time of their Test Day held in April last year.
This increased range is a result of the automotive industry’s innovation and investment – and the trend will continue, with all of Britain’s leading car manufacturers and importers committed to decarbonising their model line-ups with a further 150 new and updated plug-ins due to be delivered to the UK market by 2025.
Commenting on this trend towards cheaper electric vehicles, the SMMT has said that EVs are becoming increasingly viable for a growing number of people, adding that EVs are cheap to run when charged at home.
Further figures and commentary from the SMMT reveals just how far the UK’s EV market has developed since these products first entered production:
“At the time of the launch of Britain’s first mass-produced battery electric vehicle, the Nissan LEAF, in 2011, just nine plug-in car models were available in the UK – making up less than one in 1,000 total registrations. Today [April 2022], there are more than 140 plug-in models available, accounting for around one in five new cars sold this year, with a further 50 models expected to be launched by the end of 2022.”
The transition to EVs is represents a manufacturing opportunity for the UK. The Government’s Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution (published November 2020) stated that an accelerated transition to zero emission vehicles could deliver support for around 40,000 new jobs in 2030 and around £3 billion of private investment by 2026. Investment has already surpassed this: by March 2022, Mini, Vauxhall, Ford, Bentley, Rolls Royce and others had committed to a zero emission future from 2030, and more than £3 billion of investment has flowed into the UK zero emission vehicle sector.
There will also be opportunities for jobs in research as a result of the accelerated transition to EVs. Government and industry have jointly committed around £1 billion through the Advanced Propulsion Centre for collaborative research and development in the next generation of low carbon vehicle technologies. A further £318 million of government funding has been provided to put the UK at the forefront of the design, development, and manufacturing of electric batteries through the Faraday Battery Challenge and nearly £80 million to Driving the Electric Revolution to accelerate growth in the supply chain for power electronics, machines and drives.
An important point on the costs to consumers which I don’t believe was considered in the CEBR report is that EVs are exempt from local emission zone charges, such as the London Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) and Congestion Charge tariffs as well as future Clean Air Zones. If the Mayor of London’s proposed expansion of the ULEZ goes ahead later this year, driving a non-electric vehicle anywhere in London would cost at least £12.50 for each day you drove your vehicle. That could cost you over £300 per month, or over £4,000 every year. As other local authorities around the country consider introducing ‘congestion zone’ style daily charges, this will become a more and more important factor in the running costs of a vehicle.
I note your point about vehicle excise duty or road tax. The Government has also acknowledged this, stating in the Ten Point Plan for a Green Industrial Revolution that:
“As we move forward with this transition, we will need to ensure that the tax system encourages the uptake of EVs and that revenue from motoring taxes keeps pace with this change, to ensure we can continue to fund the first-class public services and infrastructure that people and families across the UK expect.”
As it stands battery electric vehicles are exempt from road tax. As the proportion of EVs on the roads grows and eventually exceeds traditional petrol and diesel vehicles unless there is reform there will be a loss in tax revenue and less money available to maintain our roads. Ministers have already acknowledged this and will need to consider carefully what tax regime might replace the existing one. Taking one possibility, there has been some discussion of shifting to a regime based on miles driven, rather than emissions.
Regarding the infrastructure necessary to support the transition to EVs, including home charging, the Government published its EV infrastructure strategy last year, which you can read in full here –
We already have one of the largest rapid charging networks in Europe – a 2020 study found we had more rapid chargers for every 100 miles of key strategic road than any country in Europe.
There are around 29,600 public chargepoints in the UK of which over 5,400 are ‘rapid’ – able to charge an EV in around 30 minutes. The number of public chargepoints has grown four-fold over the last five years. On average, over 600 new chargers are being added to the UK’s roads each month, of which over 100 are rapid. However, the EV infrastructure strategy acknowledges that the pace of rollout is not fast enough.
To encourage a faster rollout, the Government has put significant funding behind the transition, with a £950 million rapid charging fund to support the rollout of at least 6,000 high powered chargepoints across England’s motorways and major A-roads by 2035. The rollout of local on-street charging will be sped up by an obligation on local authorities to develop and implement local charging strategies to plan for the transition to a zero emission vehicle fleet. Ministers have committed to supporting local authorities with over £500 million of funding, helping them find innovative ways to increase local chargepoint coverage.
To boost the number of home charging points, new regulations will make home charging a default option. From June 2022, all new homes, or those undergoing major renovation, with associated parking will have to have chargepoints installed.
In the EV insfrastructure strategy the Government states it expects there will be around 300,000 public chargers as a minimum by 2030, but also says there could be more than double this number.
The ban will also have clear benefits for quality of life and health, especially in built up areas that tend to have the worst air quality currently.
Air pollution is the top environmental risk to human health in the UK, and the fourth greatest threat to public health after cancer, heart disease and obesity. It makes us more susceptible to respiratory infections and other illnesses. The Department of Health and Social Care’s advisory Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP) estimated in 2018 that long-term exposure to man-made air pollution in the UK has an annual impact on shortening lifespans, equivalent to 28,000 to 36,000 deaths.
Air pollution can affect the heart and blood vessels, and there is emerging evidence it can also affect mental ability. A recent review of 70 studies in human populations concluded it is likely that air pollution does contribute to a decline in mental ability and dementia in older people. The most likely way this occurs is through effects on the circulation. It is also known that air pollutants, particularly small particles, can affect the heart and blood vessels, including to the brain. (You can view the study here – Air pollution: cognitive decline and dementia
Reducing the number of petrol and diesel vehicles on the road will make a big difference to air quality and therefore our nation’s health.
The transition to EVs will have other health benefits too. Currently, over half the UK population is exposed to daytime noise levels above recommended limits. Zero emission vehicles – extremely quiet at low, urban speeds – will help address this. This will support levelling-up and help reinvent high streets as enjoyable places to live, work, visit and spend leisure time.
Finally, it is worth remembering that the ban will only apply to new vehicles. Petrol and diesel vehicles sold prior to 2030 will remain in use and on the roads. People who do not want an electric vehicle will still be able to use their internal combustion powered vehicle.
Stephen Barclay MP: Conservative – North East Cambridgeshire
Good afternoon
Thank you for contacting me with your concerns on the petrol and diesel ban, and electric vehicles.
It is important that we as a country take action to tackle climate change to help mitigate its effects, which include flooding, costal erosion and other issues caused by extreme weather. To play our part in tackling this global issue, the UK aims to eliminate our contribution to climate change and achieve net zero by 2050.
Bringing forward the end the sale of petrol and diesel cars and vans to 2030 and increasing the use of electric vehicles will play a crucial role in helping the UK to hit this ambitious, legally binding target. I want to assure you that the Government is putting in place the infrastructure to facilitate the accelerated transition to electric vehicles – including public chargepoints, residential on-street chargepoints as well as rapid and smart chargepoints.
I welcome that the Government is investing £3.5 billion to support the automotive sector and consumers in the transition to zero emissions vehicles. This includes: £1 billion of Government investment to support the electrification of UK vehicles and their supply chains; £620 million for targeted electric vehicle grants and infrastructure; and £275 million to extend support for charge point installation at homes, workplaces and on-street locations.
So far, government funding, alongside private sector investment, has supported the installation of more than 32,000 public electric vehicle charging devices, including over 6,000 rapid chargepoints – one of the largest networks in Europe. But there is much more to do. That is why I am glad that consumers will soon be able to compare costs across charging networks in a recognisable format similar to pence per litre for fuel and there will be new standards to ensure reliable charging for electric vehicle drivers.
Motorcycles can make a significant contribution to addressing our country’s transport and traffic issues. Indeed, they can reduce congestion and represent an affordable alternative to the car, delivering independence and mobility as well as broadening employment opportunities. The Government is investing in a plug-in motorcycle grant scheme, which is available for eligible zero emission motorcycles and mopeds across the UK.
Subject to consultation, all new motorcycles will have to be fully zero emissions at the tailpipe by 2035. I am assured that the Government will continue to support the transition with a package of financial and non-financial incentives. The Government recently sought opinions as to when the UK should stop selling new non-zero emission L-category vehicles, such as motorcycles, and I look forward to their response in due course.
Thank you again for contacting me on this issue.
Kind regards
Steve
Rt Hon Stephen Barclay MP
Member of Parliament for North East Cambridgeshire
I believe the Government should be doing more to work with the automotive industry in this transition and to help people change to electric vehicles and reduce our dependence on fossil fuels and also clean up the air quality in our towns and cities.
Therefore, I support calls for an electric vehicle revolution to support Britain’s world-class manufacturing, including making Britain a world leader in producing electric car batteries, making electric vehicles affordable for working people and rolling out charging points to every community.
I acknowledge that we hold differing views on this matter. I do, however, appreciate the concerns you have raised and be assured that they have been noted.
Thank you once again for contacting me on this important matter.
