Richard Smith, RHA Managing Director, said:
“Today’s announcement by the Conservative Party that it intends to scrap the planned phase-out dates for new diesel HGVs puts the considerable challenges of decarbonising commercial vehicles firmly in the spotlight. We welcome the debate this announcement will generate.
“Reducing emissions from HGV, coach and van fleets is one of the defining technical and economic challenges facing our industry. Operators work on extremely tight margins, and maintaining the reliability, range, payload and flexibility currently delivered by diesel vehicles will require substantial investment and coordinated action across government, industry and the energy sector.
“With HGVs accounting for 17% of domestic transport emissions, the RHA remains firmly committed to reducing the sector’s carbon emissions, but the transition must be practical, affordable and commercially viable for HGV, coach and van operators.
“We need a clear, long-term roadmap that creates the right enabling conditions and supports a multi-energy future, embracing electrification, sustainable biofuels, other low-carbon fuels and hydrogen according to operational need.
“We will continue to work constructively with the Government, opposition parties and our industry partners to develop a credible pathway that reduces emissions while protecting the businesses and supply chains on which the UK economy depends.”
