Government isn’t ‘anti-car’, Transport Secretary insists

Grant Shapps challenged in Parliament over plans to ban sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030

Government isn’t ‘anti-car’, Transport Secretary insists
Image: Bigstock.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has spoke out to reassure motorists that the government is not wanting to “demonise” drivers following the Prime Minister’s announcement last year which confirmed that the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars will be enforced from 2030.

The Transport Decarbonisation Plan , which was unveiled in November 2020, aims to cut transport pollution to help the UK reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050.

Speaking in the House of Commons, Grant Shapps said: “We want people to have access to cars and indeed in rural areas it is often the only way that people have got to get around, despite obviously wanting to improve bus services and the rest of it.

“We intend to carry on investment but to make sure that the cars can run without damaging people’s health and the environment, and that makes sense.”

The Transport Secretary was challenged in Parliament over the plans to ban the sale of petrol cars by 2030.

Former Conservative MP for Chipping Barnet, Theresa Villiers, asked: “Will the Secretary of State agree with me that to tackle climate change we need to decarbonise cars, vans and taxis and not demonise cars, vans and taxis?”

Opinion: Gearing up your workshop for EVs isn’t as hard as you’d think

Petrol and diesel car ban explained

The sales ban of all new petrol and diesel cars is to be brought forward to 2030, the Prime Minister has said.

The ban on petrol and diesel models is now an entire decade ahead of the initial 2040 enforcement date first ushered by the government.

New hybrid and plug-in hybrid cars that can “drive a significant distance without emitting carbon” can continue to be sold until 2035, at which point they too will be banned.

Second-hand cars are unaffected by the ban.

Diesel lorries are now also set to be affected with a ban on their sale coming in 2040.

Related: Gov to ban newly approved GB number plates and urges switch to ‘UK’ plates

It followed earlier warning from MPs that the government must do more to overcome the ‘huge challenge’ of banning the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by its 2030 deadline.

The House of Commons Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which examines the value-for-money of government projects, said more thought needs to be put into the price of new electric cars, their availability on the used market, the accessibility of public charging and the effect of their production on carbon emissions.

The PAC’s report calls on the government to set out its plans for managing the “complex transition” to electric cars.

Home Page Forums Government isn’t ‘anti-car’, Transport Secretary insists

Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)
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  • #214918 Reply

    Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has spoke out to reassure motorists that the government is not wanting to “demonise” drivers following the Prime Mini
    [See the full post at: Government isn’t ‘anti-car’, Transport Secretary insists]

    #214920 Reply
    graham cox
    Guest

    every week it appears there are new headlines about cars /vans etc
    the whole thing is ill thought out and unrealistic
    we as an established garage are unable to recruit let alone train anybody to work in our business
    the collage schemes are 20 years out of date
    the mechanics we have are telling us that they do not want to work on electric cars
    the charging network in our area is not present
    instead of trying to push electric,why do we as a country not develop synthectic fuels that will keep the present vehicles on the road thus being much more cost effective and green ?????
    does any one have an answer

    #214921 Reply
    Dougal
    Guest

    So if after the ban begins you buy and register a new petrol vehicle in a country where they are still available are you able a week later to import it as a used vehicle?

    #214922 Reply
    Neil Skuse
    Guest

    Going to need a massive investment in infrastructure and training for this to be realistic-then what do you do with all the toxic battery’s and vehicles at end of life.
    For me Petrol-Diesel running correctly can produce very limited emission’s. The big issue is the human being not keeping his vehicle maintained correctly.

    #214924 Reply
    Josh
    Guest

    Not a good idea at all mechanics are under payed and overworked are they gonna get a pay rise to electrician level most are leaving trade due to not high enough wages get payed more to stack shelves and get discount doubt any one will be able to get there cars fixed

    #214927 Reply
    graham cox
    Guest

    good points raised
    is any body in goverment going to explain to us in the independent sector how they plan to achieve there target on electric vehicles
    would one of them be brave enough to come to my garage and explain the plan ??
    myself and my staff would love to meet them,the door is open

Viewing 6 posts - 1 through 6 (of 6 total)

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