UK announces Ban on new Petrol and Diesel Cars

It won’t be any time soon, but the death knell has been sounded for combustion-powered cars across the UK. The UK government is wrestling with pollution in the towns and congestion on the roads with a new pollution tax that will ultimately herald the end of the traditional car.

Despite the pending exit from the European Union, UK government ministers have identified 81 roads and 17 towns where urgent action is required for the strict EU emission standards to be met, and the health of local residents are at risk. To meet the air quality standards, local authorities have been urged to take measure, such as introducing retro-fitting of new exhausts and filters on the worst of the diesels, changing road lay-outs and removing speed humps.

Local councils as of 2020 will be able to impose strict restrictions on diesels, but the measure stop short of the scrappage scheme put forward by many motoring organisations. Michael Gove, the UK Environment Secretary, stated that the national government will also ban the sale of new diesel and petrol cars by 2040 in a bid to increase the use of electric and hybrid vehicles (erm, most hybrids have a combustion engine, Minister).

Just a decade ago, and as the current Conservative Government will remind us, the Labour-led government encouraged the public to buy diesel-powered vehicles over the concerns of carbon emissions. The number of diesels in the UK shot up from 3.2 million to more than 10 million today, and as a result of this,  the amount of nitrogen dioxide emissions has soared. New health reports show that there is a link between nitrogen dioxide and the risk of strokes, heart attacks and asthma.

Gove has asked the local authorities to concentrate on the reduction of emissions on specific roads. A recent study found that 48 of the worst roads in the country were in London. The below map from the Daily Telegraph will let you know the places to avoid, should you be planning a trip to London.



Amongst the measure that are being proposed to reduce pollution is the removal of speed humps; yes they slow the traffic, but as cars constantly slow down then speed up, they spew a much higher level of emissions into the environment. Another though seems to be so obvious it shouldn’t need to be listed - ministers are asking for a crackdown on parents who leave their cars running whilst waiting for their kids outside of schools. In some areas, this will already get you an immediate GBP80 spot fine. Wished we could get that in Malaysia as well.

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