The UK Government has announced today that the sale of new diesel and petrol trucks in the UK will be banned from 2040 as part of the government’s transport decarbonisation plan.
As Scotland prepares to host COP26 in November this year, UK Government are looking to increase environmental efforts. From 2040, the sale of new diesel and petrol trucks will be banned.
This comes after numerous public consultations on how to limit transport emissions, and as part of a wider package of green initiatives for the transport sector to reach net zero within by 2040.
This announcement has outlined that the sale of smaller diesel trucks will be banned from 2035, and larger ones weighing over 26 tonnes from 2040.
Moreover, the plan sets out that there will be a net zero rail network by 2050, as well as net zero domestic aviation emissions by 2040.
The announcement states that these dates will be pushed ‘earlier if feasible’.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps stated: ‘Decarbonisation is not just some technocratic process. It’s about how we make sure that transport shapes quality of life and the economy in ways that are good.
‘It is not about stopping people doing things: it is about doing the same things differently.’
This comes after the Climate Change Committee, who advise Government, last year stated that diesel HGVs need to be phased out at least by 2040. Europe’s six largest truck manufacturers, including Volvo and Daimler, went on to announce that they would end the sale on diesel trucks by 2040.
However, haulage companies have commented that the target of 2040 is too tight, and sets the bar too high when the technology does not exist today for long-distance trucks to operate with batteries.
Earlier this year, the Government announced that the sale of new petrol and diesel cars would be banned from 2030.
Photo credit: Geograph Ireland
