The UK Government has unveiled plans to ban the sale of petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040 as part of its program to deliver clean air.
As per the plan, the ban will only include stand-alone petrol or diesel vehicles and not hybrid or plug-in hybrid models which combine both petrol and diesel engines coupled with electric motors.
The move from the government is part of its new air quality plan for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in UK for 2017. The measures were part of a £3bn clean air strategy that the government published recently, before the deadline given by High Court.
The government will also investing more than £200m in local authorities to retrofit buses for the short run.
To increase the deployment of electric vehicles in the country, the UK government, a few days ago announced its support for the development of batteries for electric vehicles.
Decrease in air quality due to emissions from diesel and petrol vehicles is major environmental risk to public health in the UK, stated the government. The Royal College for Physicians in the UK released a report suggesting that there are 40,000 deaths occurring the UK, related to air pollution.
The government has now put its focus on nitrogen dioxide, which is released from diesel vehicles and it is said to regularly breach safety levels.
The Guardian stated that ministers in the UK have received suggestions to fine vehicle that enter ‘clean air zones’, but the government stated that resorting to fines or taxes would be a last resort, as it could face backlash from the public.
UK government spokesman said: “Poor air quality is the biggest environmental risk to public health in the UK and this government is determined to take strong action in the shortest time possible.
“That is why we are providing councils with new funding to accelerate development of local plans, as part of an ambitious £3bn programme to clean up dirty air around our roads.”
