Dear [….],
Thank you for writing to me about the CEBR report on the ending of the sale of petrol vehicles, which I understand was co-funded by the Motorcycle Action Group. I have tried to look at the report, but the link you provided didn’t work.
I’m sure you know that the then Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, announced in November 2020, 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. You will also know that this target has the support of both the Government and the Opposition, and I back it too.
I do understand your concerns as a motorcycle enthusiast, but I would urge you to consider the damage of transport emissions both to people’s health and to the sustainability of our planet for future generations. As we transition to clean transport, while the sale of new petrol and diesel cars will be phased out from 2030, the use of petrol and diesel cars will not be banned. Existing petrol, diesel and hybrid cars and vans can continue to be driven and sold in the second-hand market. You can read the Governments plans in full here. [1]
You’ll no doubt have heard of the recent and tragic death of Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah – the first person in the UK to have been recorded as dying from air pollution, although we know that it affects many more people, increasing the risk of lung cancer and cardiovascular disease and being linked to up to 36,000 people dying early each year in the UK.
According to Government statistics, Transport produced 27% of the UK’s total emissions in 2019. Of this, the majority (91%) came from road transport vehicles.
As the BBC reported recently “in countries like the UK and the US, the transport sector is now responsible for emitting more greenhouse gases than any other [2], including electricity production and agriculture. Globally, transport accounts for around a quarter [3] of CO2 emissions. And much of the world’s transport networks still remain focused around the car. Road vehicles – cars, trucks, buses and motorbikes – account for nearly three quarters of the greenhouse gas emissions [3] that come from transport”. Given the damage that air pollution has to both the planet and our health, it’s important we do what we can to reduce our country’s carbon emissions.
The Labour Party has called for an “Electric Vehicle revolution” so that electric cars and motorbikes are affordable and more convenient (you can read more about that here [4]), including a commitment to “Make it easier for people to drive an electric vehicle, wherever (they) live, by accelerating the roll-out of charging points on streets”.
Thanks again for writing.
With best wishes,
Paul Blomfield MP
22nd February 2023