Following the publication of the Transport Select Committee’s report ‘Fuelling the Future’ which scrutinised the Government’s plans for the transport sector to be net zero by 2050 in the UK, two committee members (Karl McCartney and Greg Smith) believe the Government’s position on private vehicles is a huge risk for the nation, legacy vehicle owners and our nation’s economy.
The report revealed that on the one hand, the Government has said that it is ‘technology neutral’ when it comes to what types of alternative fuel should be used for different types of transport vehicles, however, it contradicts this when it comes to private cars. This is because it is fully focused on these all being electric vehicles fuelled by batteries, with draconian impositions on new vehicles from 2030, rather than in parallel supporting the development of sustainable fuels such as biofuels and synthetic fuels. These are already being developed and increasingly used including in motorsport, high-performance cars and an RAF test flight.
Karl, a longstanding Committee member called the Government’s position hypocritical, risky and one that does not match the reality of the available technology or affordability for normal motorists.
Karl said: “This headlong herd-like, fashionable and naïve rush by the Government into all private cars being electric by 2050 does not make sense. There is no guarantee the number of batteries needed will be ready given worldwide demand, especially from China. Nor is there any guarantee that enough affordable electric cars will be available or there will be enough charging points that fuel such cars very quickly.
“It makes no common sense to place all our eggs into one basket and solely rely on electric fuelled cars when there are alternatives that are already being used and developed which are also as environmentally friendly. We need to have a choice and not place our fuel future at risk which is what the Government is currently doing.
“If it goes wrong and reality bites, as it surely will, then the Government position will be like the Emperor and his New Clothes, all bluster about how this is the future but when the time comes, it will be revealed to be not all there and individuals, business and the nation’s economic well-being will suffer.”
Greg Smith MP (Conservative, Buckingham) added: “The virtue signalling around vehicle fuel types and electric vehicle evangelism has led us to an uncomfortable place that cannot be seen as realistic, especially for HGVs, construction and farming vehicles, but particularly ‘legacy’ internal combustion engine (ICE) private vehicles and rural areas of the UK too. The reality is that many, many people will still be driving their own ICE vehicles well after 2030, 2035, 2040 and 2050, and the most environmentally responsible decision the Government can make is to facilitate their continued use through better fuels, but negate the use of further energy and raw materials to make more new vehicles of any fuel or engine type.”
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