Consultation opens to end sale of fossil fuelled motorbikes by 2035

The government has set out a range of measures to mark a year since the Transport Decarbonisation Plan was introduced, including a consultation on the phase out of fossil fuelled two wheelers by 2035.

The first year of the Transport Decarbonisation Plan has been thousands of electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints installed and over 130 walking and cycling projects launched to clean the air and reach net zero.

A further public consultation, Course to Zero, is being launched seeking views on the best route to net zero emissions by 2050 for the UK’s domestic maritime sector.

Transport Minister Trudy Harrison said: ‘Across road, rail, sea and air we have taken decisive action to reduce harmful emissions while enabling innovation and growing the economy.  

‘We have provided certainty to both the industry and consumers through investment to stimulate a new market to reduce the need for fossil fuels.’

Alongside the consultations, the Department for Transport is announcing funding for a competition to help industry develop the zero-emission motorcycle supply chain in the UK.

This will help create a manufacturing base for small, emission free vehicles and could lead to thousands of new jobs across the UK.

Successful applicants for the £350,000 fund, will undertake research to support the production and distribution of new, green vehicles within the sector.

Helena Bennett, Head of Climate Policy at Green Alliance, commented: ‘The Transport Decarbonisation Plan laid ambitious foundations for the sector to begin its transition to net zero after thirty years in which emissions have stayed largely unchanged. It’s promising to see delivery of some of the plan’s goals begin including announcements on a zero-emission vehicle mandate and phase out of polluting HGVs, but there is more to be done to keep the sector on track with climate targets, and it’s more important than ever, given the cost-of-living crisis, that boosts to public transport and walk & cycling infrastructure are prioritised.’

Photo by Joshua Reddekopp