Prime Minister Theresa May has further emphasised plans to put the UK at the “forefront of a 21st century transport revolution” by investing heavily in the automotive sector.
During today’s science and modern industrial strategy speech, May reiterated that the Government aims to encourage development in “design and manufacturing of zero-emission vehicles”.
The targets, first outlined earlier this year with the Road to Zero plan, include a prevention on the sale of pure petrol and diesel cars from 2040. The law change will only allow the sale of new cars capable of at least 50 miles of pure electric range.
May said the Government’s growing focus on the automotive industry relates in part to the fact that it is “one of our greatest success stories” and that it “continues to thrive and create good jobs across the country”.
“Technology is revolutionising how we power vehicles, how they are driven, how we navigate and how we access information about public transport,” she said. “Britain led the world into the railway age. We pioneered jet air travel.
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“We can make our towns and cities cleaner, safer and more productive places to live and work. We can set a global standard for managing technological change to maximise economic and environmental benefits."
May added that the Government will “work with industry to achieve this ambition and share the benefits this opportunity presents”.
However, many industry insiders have hit out at recent government decisions that have directly affected the car industry, such as the increasing pressure on diesel cars via its introduction of raised tax rates. Diesel car sales have dropped by more than a third in recent months.
Jaguar Land Rover, for example, said the knock-on effect of the fall in demand was that 1000 agency staff workers would not have their contracts renewed.
Meanwhile, business secretary Greg Clark appeared to make a U-turn last week when he said diesel cars would remain important to meet wider CO2 targets.
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We don’t need no revolution
Theresa May needs to spend more time talking and listening to Industry experts and less time with politicians. We seem to be lurching from one initiative to the other, with no one able to keep up with ever changing taxation regimes. Vehicle manufacturers and all other industries require long terms strategies to implement and develop new standard and technologies. A move away from petrol and diesel vehicle is inevitable, but it can only be achieved as the resources become available and costs become obtainable. The Government and the lobbyist seem to be hell bent on screwing up the economy and manufacturing of vehicles here in UK. We don’t necessarily need to be at the forefront of a transport revolution, we just need to have a cohesive set of long term polices and strategies in order to avoid the damaging knee jerk reactions (diesel / WLTP ) that are currently causing damage to the industry.
Theresa May Automotive Genius!
The Conservative Party can try making a car company after they have been voted out at the next general election.
Perhaps Theresa May is the next Alec Issigonis!
21st Century Revolution,,,,
If we take what this woman says at face value then the good news is that we don't need fracking in this country and this governments attempts to force this industry onto communities that voted against fracking is at odds with her statement. Of course you can't take what May says at face value because the direction this government goes is nearly always in the complete opposite direction. The ways I view our countries success in anything motor related is down to the hard work and inovation in the sector despite our governments intervention. The revolution this country needs is in politics not industry.
Success.....?!
And pray tell me when was this Country ever a success?, doesn’t matter who is in power, nobody agrees, things get delayed or cancelled mostly because whoever isn’t in power delays it because it wasn’t their idea!