Transport Secretary calls for UK to 'seize the moment and grab a share of green growth and jobs' at LowCVP Conference
Tue 15 May 2012
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Transport Secretary Justine Greening has pledged her support for the burgeoning industry for low carbon vehicles in the UK, calling for the UK to 'seize the moment' and position itself for a leadership role in the sector. Speaking at the LowCVP's Annual Conference at ExCel, London, Ms Greening predicted that the UK is moving rapidly along the low carbon vehicle adoption curve and that developments will "start to pick up speed over the next 12-24 months and gain real traction".
The Transport Secretary, speaking at her first LowCVP Conference, gave a historical perspective on the development of the automotive industry. She said that from the mid 19th to early 20th century the electric vehicle was the dominant form on UK roads when, compared with their petrol contemporaries EVs were much easier to drive and cheaper to buy, run and maintain.
Right up until the early 1920s cities like New York had an electric taxi fleet while in Europe and the US major haulage firms were using electric trucks to transport their goods. Some countries even set up exchangeable battery services to help motorists drive longer and further, she said.
Elaborating on her vision for the future, Ms Greening said that the factors which drove the revolution in cars powered by petrol and diesel – technology, affordability and access – are just beginning to transform the fortunes of low carbon vehicles.
After a slow start, she said, technological developments in low carbon vehicles are now picking up pace and this is making them an increasingly reliable and viable choice for consumers in terms of their motoring needs today. She cited the example of Nissan, which predicts it will sell 1.5 million zero emission cars by 2016.
Meanwhile, Ms Greening continued, history shows that mass production means greater affordability.
She listed the range of Government incentives that are improving access to and the practicality of low carbon cars, including:
- The Plug-in Car Grant (25% subsidy on purchase price, up to £5,000 max)
- Plug-in Van Grant (25% subsidy on purchase price, up to £8,000 max)
- Plugged-In-Places Programme to encourage development of EV recharging infrastructure
- The Green Bus Fund
- Low carbon truck demonstration trials
- The adoption of legislation to enforce the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation (RTFO) to introduce sustainable biofuels
Despite the recent focus on electric vehicles, the Transport Secretary said that this Government is determined to be technology neutral. She said: "We should also remember that decarbonising road transport is not just about the cars and vans we drive. Nor indeed is it just about electric vehicles.
"It’s also about the public transport, haulage, and even the sustainability of the fuels we produce – and the DfT has been keen not to lose sight of these things."
Ms Greening said that "for this important agenda, that the status quo is not an option". With the global market for low carbon goods and services currently worth a "staggering2 £3 trillion a year she said that "we are witnessing the transition from oil-based mobility to other, lower carbon sources of energy. This is not just good for consumers and the environment – it’s good for UK plc. We want to see our country at the forefront of R & D in this area".
Following her LowCVP Conference speech, the Transport Secretary visited the associated EcoVelocity exhibition of low carbon vehicles where she had the opportunity to test drive the 2012 European Car of the Year, the hybrid petrol-electric Vauxhall Ampera.
To read the Transport Secretary's full speech or view it on the LowCVP's YouTube channel, follow the associated links.
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