Yesterday I, as Labour’s Shadow Minister for Green Transport, wrote to the Transport Secretary asking him to bring forward the ban on the sale of new petrol, diesel and hybrid vehicles to 2030, as part of a green recovery package. This would not only help UK car manufacturing, it is also essential step on the way to achieving net zero emissions and tackling air pollution.

We will be way off track in meeting our climate obligations unless we act urgently to decarbonise our road transport, which accounted for 24% of UK emissions last year.

I hope the Government will follow Labour’s lead on this and bring the phase-out date forward from the current date of 2040. But to do this they need a proper plan that ensures a smooth, feasible transition for the car manufacturing industry. This means reskilling workers for the new green jobs, as well as making zero-carbon vehicles affordable and easy to charge whenever you are in the UK.

Based on this letter – which called on the Government to bring forward the ban on the sale of new petrol, diesel and hybrid vehicles – I have written this article for PoliticsHome on the need to ensure a green recovery for our transport sector.