Motoring group welcomes the decision to delay the ban on petrol and diesel cars

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has pushed back the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars in the UK from 2030 to 2035.

Sunak confirmed the move in a speech from Downing Street on Wednesday afternoon.

The decision to water down key climate change commitments has sparked debate in the automotive industry.

While some welcome the decision due to the lack of EV infrastructure in the UK and limitations due to the cost of living crisis, others have demanded transparency fearing they will lose out as consumer purchasing behaviour changes.

Tim Alcock, from Leasecar, said: “The ambition to go green and support the changes necessary to reach the net zero target by 2050 is a noble one, but the decision to delay the ban on petrol and diesel cars by five years will be welcome news for the majority of the British public.

“We are seeing strong demand for EVs and hybrids amongst our customers but there needs to be an infrastructure to support the number of electric vehicles that will soon be on our roads.

“Britain has been falling behind in EV adoption and the government is on course to miss another major EV infrastructure target that promised to add six or more rapid chargers at every motorway services by the end of 2023.

“Issues with public charge points have been creating unease in the British public and we’d like to see this tackled with urgency to meet the needs of our customers.

“With the proposed ban following hot on the heels of a cost-of-living crisis that has seen the poorest hit the hardest with rising energy, food and fuel bills it is also important that the government continues to support the industry with clear messaging, attractive incentives and a charging infrastructure that gives the consumer the confidence to make the switch.

“However, we predict that EV sales will continue to increase at a healthy rate particularly as the government is sticking to the ZEV mandate which pushes manufacturers to sell increasingly higher numbers of electric cars.

“The later date will allow both the government and the consumer to prepare for the changes which are needed to build a greener future but the government needs to continue to support EV adoption to give clarity to manufacturers and move the British public to wanting to make the switch.”