The Government today announced that it wants at least half of new cars to be ultra low emission by 2030 in an effort to tackle air pollution.
Whitehall has published its strategy to expand green infrastructure across the country, reduce emissions from vehicles already on the roads, and drive the uptake of zero emission cars, vans and trucks.
A recent study by Unicef revealed that one in three children in the UK are growing up in areas with dangerous levels of air pollution. Exposure to PM2.5 and NOX is also linked to 40,000 premature deaths every year.
Entitled the Road to Zero Strategy, the proposals include a push for chargepoints to be installed in newly built homes for electric vehicles and a £400m Charging Infrastructure Investment Fund.
The strategy also includes the creation of a £40m programme to develop and trial innovative, low cost wireless and on-street charging technology, and a £500 incentive for electric vehicle owners to put in a charge point in their home.
‘The coming decades are going to be transformative for our motor industry, our national infrastructure and the way we travel. We expect to see more change in the transport sector over the next 10 years than we have in the previous century,’ said Chris Grayling, secretary of state for transport.
‘The Road to Zero Strategy sets out a clear path for Britain to be a world leader in the zero emission revolution - ensuring that the UK has cleaner air, a better environment and a stronger economy,’ he added.
