An All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) has called for the Government to reverse its plans to ban the sale of new petrol vehicles by 2030, saying it would be "economic madness".

Fair Fuel for UK Motorists and Haulers, which is in partnership with Fair Fuel UK, Alliance of British Drivers and the Motorcycle Action Group has claimed that the environmental benefits from the proposed bans are dwarfed "considerably" by the additional costs that will come from it.

Back in 2020 the Government brought the date forward for when it would ban the sale of new petrol vehicles from 2040 to 2030, whilst allowing the sale of hybrid vehicles until 2035.

The APPG group has produced a report showing the alleged economic problems such a decision would cause, including that the "£76 billion" in environmental benefits from the 2030 ban would be outweighed by the assessed costs which "add up to £400 billion".

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: The APPG claims the costs of switching over to mostly electric vehicles would be considerable (PA)The APPG claims the costs of switching over to mostly electric vehicles would be considerable (PA) (Image: PA)

Some factors they stated would cause economic problems included cost of new vehicle purchases, increased time lost due to waiting on recharding electric vehicles and further infrastructure being needed to support an increased number of EVs.

The report claims: "From the perspective of the average household, these additional costs over the period 2022 to 2050 amount to £27,400 or just under £1,000 per household per year from 2022 until 2050."


READ MOREGovernment urged to create electric car charge watchdog


Neil Liversidge, Chair of the Motorcycle Action Group said: “This report shows the Government’s proposal to ban the internal combustion engine is utterly misguided, even if you use the assumptions, they themselves have made, and without getting into the environmental arguments.

"This is economic madness, a blight on civil liberties and a clear marker to Ministers to respond, either by explaining where they think this report is wrong, or by withdrawing this misplaced and damaging ban on our right to ride petrol motorcycles."

The report from the APPG group can be read here.