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| Petrol and diesel ban: How will it work? | Petrol and diesel ban: How will it work? |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| All sales of new petrol and diesel cars will cease in the UK by 2040, under plans to tackle air pollution. | All sales of new petrol and diesel cars will cease in the UK by 2040, under plans to tackle air pollution. |
| But with electric cars currently accounting for less than 1% of new sales, the switch will mean seismic changes, and gives rise to a host of pressing questions. | But with electric cars currently accounting for less than 1% of new sales, the switch will mean seismic changes, and gives rise to a host of pressing questions. |
| Why are petrol and diesel cars being banned? | Why are petrol and diesel cars being banned? |
| Poor air quality is the "biggest environmental risk to public health in the UK" - thought to be linked to about 40,000 premature deaths a year in the UK - the government says. While air pollution has been mostly falling in the UK, in many cities nitrogen oxides- which form part of the discharge from car exhausts - regularly breach safe levels . | Poor air quality is the "biggest environmental risk to public health in the UK" - thought to be linked to about 40,000 premature deaths a year in the UK - the government says. While air pollution has been mostly falling in the UK, in many cities nitrogen oxides- which form part of the discharge from car exhausts - regularly breach safe levels . |
| Diesel vehicles produce the overwhelming majority of nitrogen oxide gases coming from roadside sources. | Diesel vehicles produce the overwhelming majority of nitrogen oxide gases coming from roadside sources. |
| The government was ordered by the courts to produce new plans to tackle illegal levels of harmful pollutant nitrogen dioxide, a form of the nitrogen oxide pollutants emitted by vehicles. | The government was ordered by the courts to produce new plans to tackle illegal levels of harmful pollutant nitrogen dioxide, a form of the nitrogen oxide pollutants emitted by vehicles. |
| Why now? | Why now? |
| Concern about air pollution is not new, but the issue has risen to prominence because the UK government lost court cases over caused by nitrogen dioxide levels. It has been compounded by the fact car makers were found to be cheating emissions tests. | Concern about air pollution is not new, but the issue has risen to prominence because the UK government lost court cases over caused by nitrogen dioxide levels. It has been compounded by the fact car makers were found to be cheating emissions tests. |
| Scientists are also more certain about the ways air pollution harms people. Recently, it has even been linked with dementia, although that link remains debatable. | Scientists are also more certain about the ways air pollution harms people. Recently, it has even been linked with dementia, although that link remains debatable. |
| The High Court set an end-of-July deadline for the government to publish its clean air plans for tackling. | The High Court set an end-of-July deadline for the government to publish its clean air plans for tackling. |
| What else is being done to reduce pollution? | What else is being done to reduce pollution? |
| As well as the future ban on petrol and diesel cars, more than £200m is being given to local authorities to draw up plans to tackle particular roads with high pollution. This is all part of the same package of measures from the government. | As well as the future ban on petrol and diesel cars, more than £200m is being given to local authorities to draw up plans to tackle particular roads with high pollution. This is all part of the same package of measures from the government. |
| Will tax revenues from petrol and diesel dry up? | Will tax revenues from petrol and diesel dry up? |
| It's likely the government will have to change the way fuel is taxed to make up for losing billions of pounds at the pump. | It's likely the government will have to change the way fuel is taxed to make up for losing billions of pounds at the pump. |
| The government raised about £27.9bn from fuel duties in 2016-17, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility. That's getting on for 4% of the total tax take. | The government raised about £27.9bn from fuel duties in 2016-17, according to the Office for Budget Responsibility. That's getting on for 4% of the total tax take. |
| Say I buy an electric car... where will I recharge it? | Say I buy an electric car... where will I recharge it? |
| There are more than 4,500 locations with charging points around the UK, according to website Zap-Map.com. New locations are being added daily - with an increase of 255 in the past 30 days alone. | There are more than 4,500 locations with charging points around the UK, according to website Zap-Map.com. New locations are being added daily - with an increase of 255 in the past 30 days alone. |
| But if mass market ownership of electric cars is to be viable, there will need to be on-demand access to power points. This raises a number of potential problems. For example, where will power points be sited? Will roads have to be dug up for cabling? Will drivers have to share power points, and so be restricted to certain charging times? | But if mass market ownership of electric cars is to be viable, there will need to be on-demand access to power points. This raises a number of potential problems. For example, where will power points be sited? Will roads have to be dug up for cabling? Will drivers have to share power points, and so be restricted to certain charging times? |
| It can take up to eight hours to charge an electric vehicle, so more efficient batteries will be needed. | It can take up to eight hours to charge an electric vehicle, so more efficient batteries will be needed. |
| While some vehicles can only travel up to 50 miles between charges, others can manage more than 200 miles. This puts commuting and city driving within reach, but makes long distance journeys more difficult. | While some vehicles can only travel up to 50 miles between charges, others can manage more than 200 miles. This puts commuting and city driving within reach, but makes long distance journeys more difficult. |
| What about paying for old cars to be scrapped? | What about paying for old cars to be scrapped? |
| According to its consultation, the government believed a so-called scrappage scheme would take 15,000 of the most polluting diesel and petrol cars off the road in a year. | According to its consultation, the government believed a so-called scrappage scheme would take 15,000 of the most polluting diesel and petrol cars off the road in a year. |
| Drivers would be given about £8,000 to switch to a fully electric alternative, meaning the government would have to fork out £110m. The impact on emissions of nitrogen dioxide would be to cut them by 0.02%, not a huge change in the grand scheme of things. | Drivers would be given about £8,000 to switch to a fully electric alternative, meaning the government would have to fork out £110m. The impact on emissions of nitrogen dioxide would be to cut them by 0.02%, not a huge change in the grand scheme of things. |
| The Treasury is believed to have objected strongly because of the cost, but also on the grounds it would be hard to target the scheme at those who most need it - and prevent it becoming a subsidy for drivers who could already afford to change to electric vehicles. | The Treasury is believed to have objected strongly because of the cost, but also on the grounds it would be hard to target the scheme at those who most need it - and prevent it becoming a subsidy for drivers who could already afford to change to electric vehicles. |
| Why not ban the dirtiest vehicles from the most polluted roads? | Why not ban the dirtiest vehicles from the most polluted roads? |
| Environmental campaigners believe creating what are termed "clean air zones" (CAZs) in the most polluted towns and cities is the most effective and speedy way of reducing emissions of nitrogen dioxide. Councils will be able to impose these zones and will be able to block certain vehicles or impose a daily charge on drivers. | Environmental campaigners believe creating what are termed "clean air zones" (CAZs) in the most polluted towns and cities is the most effective and speedy way of reducing emissions of nitrogen dioxide. Councils will be able to impose these zones and will be able to block certain vehicles or impose a daily charge on drivers. |
| But the government hopes they won't do this. While its own research suggests CAZs are the most effective means of getting emissions down, cutting them buy 18% compared with 0.02% for a scrappage scheme, policy makers argue they are too blunt an instrument and can cause all sorts of complications for local areas. For example, if a council in one town imposes a clean air zone and its neighbour doesn't, will traffic (and the emissions they cause) merely move to the cheaper location? | But the government hopes they won't do this. While its own research suggests CAZs are the most effective means of getting emissions down, cutting them buy 18% compared with 0.02% for a scrappage scheme, policy makers argue they are too blunt an instrument and can cause all sorts of complications for local areas. For example, if a council in one town imposes a clean air zone and its neighbour doesn't, will traffic (and the emissions they cause) merely move to the cheaper location? |
| Most of the breaches with diesel emissions happen on 81 roads around the UK, says the government, in vast swathes in the hearts of urban areas. It wants councils to target these roads with a range of tactics that cut nitrogen dioxide, including removing speed bumps and changing traffic lights so that traffic isn't slowing or speeding. | Most of the breaches with diesel emissions happen on 81 roads around the UK, says the government, in vast swathes in the hearts of urban areas. It wants councils to target these roads with a range of tactics that cut nitrogen dioxide, including removing speed bumps and changing traffic lights so that traffic isn't slowing or speeding. |
| However, recognising that this might not be enough, the plan does give local authorities the power to charge or ban drivers on certain sections of road. | However, recognising that this might not be enough, the plan does give local authorities the power to charge or ban drivers on certain sections of road. |
| How do diesel and petrol compare as pollutants? | How do diesel and petrol compare as pollutants? |
| Sales of diesel cars surged in the early 2000s as drivers were encouraged to choose them because they had lower climate-warming carbon dioxide emissions than petrol cars. | |
| While diesel cars are the biggest single source of nitrogen oxide emissions, diesel powered buses, coaches and - especially - heavy goods vehicles are the really heavy polluters, producing eight to 10 times the amount of gases per kilometre than cars. There are, however, many more cars. | While diesel cars are the biggest single source of nitrogen oxide emissions, diesel powered buses, coaches and - especially - heavy goods vehicles are the really heavy polluters, producing eight to 10 times the amount of gases per kilometre than cars. There are, however, many more cars. |
| Does this mean London's congestion charge will spread to other cities? | |
| The government isn't keen. Establishing a clean air zone (CAZ) for which motorists would be charged to drive into could simply move the pollution problem elsewhere rather than solve it. Policy makers believe that by targeting the 81 roads around the UK that are the main cause of the problem, they can prevent the type of emissions transfer that could happen if one town has a big CAZ and its neighbour did not. | |
| Will motorcyclists be affected? | |
| Potentially, but only those who drive the very oldest bikes. Essentially, motorcycles built before the year 2000 could face fines if councils decide to impose charges or bans on some roads. The government is currently giving a grant of £1,500 for the purchase of an ultra-low emission motorcyle. | |
| What about aeroplanes? How much air pollution is caused by aircraft? | |
| In the UK about 1% of nitrogen dioxide emissions are caused by aviation. Far more are caused by people driving to airports in their cars. | |
| What about hydrogen-powered vehicles, as opposed to electric? | |
| The government has already announced a £23m fund to boost the uptake of hydrogen vehicles. A competition is due to be launched this year so companies can bid for funding to help build the infrastructure that will support hydrogen cars. | |
| Do you have any questions about the government's new clean air strategy? Let us know. | Do you have any questions about the government's new clean air strategy? Let us know. |
| Use this form to ask your question: | Use this form to ask your question: |