Government needs to support ultra low emission HGV market as well

The Freight Transport Association has reacted positively to a new report from the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee into sustainability in transport policy. In the report, the Committee states that fiscal support will be needed along with regulatory reform to develop the market in ultra-low emission vehicles. For cars it suggests reform to company car taxation, and for vans a reform to the weight limitations on alternatively powered vehicles.
September 2, 2016 Read time: 2 mins

The 6983 Freight Transport Association has reacted positively to a new report from the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee into sustainability in transport policy.
 
In the report, the Committee states that fiscal support will be needed along with regulatory reform to develop the market in ultra-low emission vehicles.  For cars it suggests reform to company car taxation, and for vans a reform to the weight limitations on alternatively powered vehicles.
 
FTA’s head of National and Regional Policy Christopher Snelling said the Committee is right that more support will be needed for the purchasers of ultra-low emission vehicles if they are to take off in the market place as soon as possible. The suggestion of considering reforming weight limitations on alternatively powered vans is welcome and should be explored further – subject to demonstrating it would not have a negative effect on safety.
 
Snelling continued: “The missing piece in the report is heavy duty vehicles.  From an engineering and technological point of view it is harder to decarbonise larger road vehicles – electric is not an option. Trials of alternative power sources for lorries were made under the Government’s Low Carbon Truck Trial and a further low emission freight and logistics trial has recently been announced, but more fiscal support will be needed if these new vehicles are to get taken up by purchasers any time soon.  Currently alternatively powered vehicles only make up 0.2 per cent of the UK’s HGV fleet.”

Air Quality & Weather Systems

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • Advanced Driver Assistance Systems: a solution or another problem?
    November 27, 2013
    Do Advanced Driver Assistance Systems represent a positive step forward for safety, or something of a safety risk? Jason Barnes discusses the issue with leading industry figures. Advanced Driver Assistance Systems (ADAS) are already common. Anti-lock brakes or electronic stability control are well understood and are either fitted as standard or frequently requested by new vehicle buyers. More advanced ADAS features are appearing on many top-end vehicles and the trickle-down has already started. Adaptive
    Read More
  • Government targets ‘too conservative’ as 1 in 5 plan to embrace electric cars
    July 20, 2017
    Electric vehicle uptake may increase over the next few years to levels far above UK Government targets. In research undertaken by Baringa Partners, nearly a fifth of people said they would consider buying an electric vehicle for their next car, double the Government goal for electric cars to make up nine per cent of the fleet by 2020. However, concerns over purchase price and range mean nearly a third of people believe electric cars will never overtake petrol and diesel vehicles. Baringa is urging the Gover
    Read More
  • OPINION: ITS must be included in EU Green Deal
    September 14, 2022
    To reach the objectives of the European Green Deal, a classification system has been developed to identify environmentally-sustainable activities. However, Richard Lax of Kapsch TrafficCom is worried that it might not have the intended effect – and ITS could lose out as a result…
    Read More
  • Evidence growing for distance-based charging
    January 18, 2012
    The case is growing for an alternative to fuel taxation for funding highway infrastructure. A more sustainable system of mileage-based charging can be established in a way that is acceptable to the travelling public, writes Jack Opiola. Fuel tax - the lifeblood relied on for 80 years to maintain and improve roads and transit systems - is now in considerable jeopardy in the United States. Increased vehicle fuel efficiency and a poor economy already hamper generation of fuel tax revenue; now a recent federal
    Read More

Highlighted Content