Government needs to stick to the 2030 target for phasing out petrol and diesel cars

A UK Government consultation is seeking views on proposals to support the UK’s transition to zero emission vehicles. The consultation is open until 18 February 2025, so there is still time to submit your response. This is ours.

The UK Health Alliance on Climate Change, an alliance of 48 UK-based health organisations including Royal Colleges, associations, and societies, represents over one million healthcare professionals working across various sectors. As healthcare professionals, we are profoundly concerned about the detrimental effects of emissions from oil and gas on human health. Emissions from fossil fuels are the leading contributors to climate change, air pollution, and environmental degradation, all of which pose significant risks to health and undermine the resilience of our health services. We welcome the opportunity to provide feedback on the comprehensive document titled ‘Phasing out the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 and Support for the Zero Emission Transition’, which is currently under consultation.

In this document, we outline our response to the consultation on phasing out sales of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 and supporting the ZEV transition.

We understand that many of the consultation questions are quite technical and seem primarily relevant to car sellers. However, we believe it is important for the committee to consider certain health-related aspects, and we hope our responses will be valuable.

Air pollution from transport significantly impacts public health in the UK. In 2022, the transport sector was responsible for 49% of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions and 22% of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) emissions.  Exposure to these pollutants is linked to respiratory and cardiovascular diseases, including asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and heart disease. Air pollution contributes to about 29,000 to 43,000 premature deaths annually. Moreover, vulnerable populations, such as children, the elderly, and individuals with pre-existing health conditions, are disproportionately affected, exacerbating existing health inequalities. 

The health damage associated with diesel vehicle emissions is approximately 20 times greater than that of electric vehicles and at least five times greater than petrol vehicles. Diesel vehicles account for nearly 90% of the £6 billion annual health costs attributed to cars and vans in the UK. Switching to electric vehicles offers substantial health benefits: replacing all new cars in 2019 with electric models could have saved over £325 million in health costs in the first year alone, and swapping 1 million diesel cars for electric could save more than £360 million annually. Additionally, encouraging active transport such as walking or cycling could save over £1.1 billion per year in health damage costs if 1 in 4 urban car journeys were replaced by these alternatives. Despite advances in vehicle technology, transport remains a major source of harmful emissions, highlighting the urgent need for a transition to cleaner modes of transportation to protect public health and reduce financial burdens.

Q6 What are your views on establishing a CO₂ requirement for vans from 2030? 

We believe this is essential as much city centre air pollution is tracked back to commercial vehicles such as vans and buses.

Q7 What would be the impact to the economy and to UK society of any new or additional non-ZEV CO2 requirements in the van sector from 2030? 

While there may be potential short-term negative impacts on van sellers, the long-term economic benefits from improved public health and well-being will be substantial. For instance, reducing air pollution could boost UK earnings by £900 million annually due to fewer premature deaths and illnesses, resulting in more productive years and workdays. Enhanced air quality could also decrease work absences, benefiting the UK economy by nearly £600 million.

Currently, air pollution costs health services and businesses an estimated £20 billion each year. High pollution days are associated with significant increases in hospital admissions, placing additional pressure on the already overstretched NHS workforce and healthcare system.

Question 8: What are your views on current measures to support demand for zero emission vehicles? What additional measures could further support the transition?

Increasing the adoption of zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs) in the UK requires a combination of financial incentives, charging infrastructure development, policy measures, and public engagement. Subsidies, grants, tax benefits, and scrappage schemes can make ZEVs more affordable, while expanding the public charging network, supporting home and workplace charger installations, and ensuring standardised, user-friendly infrastructure will enhance accessibility. 

Policy interventions such as stricter emission standards, low-emission zones, and mandates for automakers to meet ZEV sales targets can further encourage the transition. Reducing manufacturing costs, fostering a robust second-hand ZEV market, and promoting shared mobility services can improve affordability and accessibility.

Question 13: Are the time limits on the current flexibilities in the ZEV Mandate for cars and for vans still appropriate? Please explain your answer.

For the health reasons outlined in your document, and those highlighted by us above, we believe it is crucial that the 2030 timeline be followed. There will be significant health and economic benefits if it is retained.