By James Salmon Transport Editor For The Daily Mail
Published: 00:02 BST, 17 April 2019 | Updated: 00:07 BST, 17 April 2019
View
comments
All new diesel and petrol lorries should be banned from sale by 2040 to cut air pollution, the Government's infrastructure body has said.
HGVs need to switch from using fossil fuels to battery or hydrogen power over the next 20 years in a 'bold' push to make the UK's road and rail-based industry carbon-free, the National Infrastructure Commission said.
Without action, freight could churn out a fifth of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, up from 9 per cent now. The Road Haulage Association said any new technology must be cost-effective.
The Government's infrastructure body has recommended that all new diesel and petrol lorries should be banned from sale by 2040 to cut pollution
The NIC said the boom in internet shopping, same day delivery services and just-in-time manufacturing will lead to a dramatic increase in the number of lorries on the road.
Without urgent action, it warned the problems of congestion and emissions 'are likely to worsen'.
The government has already outlined plans to ban the sale of traditional new diesel and petrol cars and vans by 2040 to improve air quality.
But the NIC said that over the next two years ministers should set out how they plan to ban all sales of new petrol and diesel HGVs by 2040 and 'begin preparing the nation's infrastructure for this transition'.
It said this should be part of a broader effort to support the entire road and rail industry to become carbon free by 2050, and also to ease congestion on the roads.
Electric powered lorries are even
