2030 ban on new petrol car sales is immovable, insists Gove

The ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars has been a hotly debated topic in recent years, but what does it actually involve?

What’s included in the ban?

In 2020, the government introduced a policy to ban the sale of all new petrol and diesel cars in the UK by 2030 in an effort to tackle climate change.

The plan is set to take effect in two phases:

Phase 1: Banning the sale of all new petrol and diesel cars by 2030.

Phase 2: All new cars and vans will be fully zero emission at the tailpipe by 2035.

Between 2030 and 2035, the government say that new cars and vans can be sold if they are able to travel a significant distance with zero emissions (ie a plug-in hybrid or full hybrid vehicle).

The hope is that the ban will improve the air quality in busy towns and cities and support economic growth across the country.

In 2020, the government pledged £1.3 billion to accelerate the rollout of EV chargepoints in homes, streets and motorways across the UK. This is aimed at encouraging people to switch to hybrid or fully electric cars ahead of the ban.

Has the PM gone back on his word?

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak declined to recommit to the ban in a recent interview, warning against heaping extra costs on families during the cost of living crisis.

Housing Secretary Michael Gove, when asked on Times Radio if the ban was “immovable” replied “yes”, seeming to disagree with PM’s careful avoidance of the question.

Gove added “I’m sure there are some people who would like to change that policy, I understand. But the policy remains,” when further questioned about the plan.

Downing Street have insisted that the Prime Minister still supports the policy, despite his non-answer, and Tory minister Andrew Mitchell’s comment that he couldn’t “prophesise” the future of the policy.

Check out our blog for more information on the ban on new petrol and diesel car sales.