The chancellor will put an emphasis on cutting transport emissions in his upcoming Budget, Transport Network understands.
It has been suggested that Philip Hammond will take action to tackle air pollution from diesel cars, by introducing a scrappage scheme or increasing fuel duty on diesel. Last month, transport secretary Chris Grayling said people should 'take a long, hard think' before buying a diesel vehicle.
Denis Naberezhnykh, head of ULEV and energy at TRL, said: ‘TRL agrees that there is a clear need to reduce the amount of diesel cars on the UK’s roads, particularly in cities, and further accelerate the take up of ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEVs) that can help to reduce transport-related pollution and emissions.’
Chancellor Philip Hammond
The Treasury said the chancellor is expected to set a research and development challenge for British business and universities by making £270m available to help the UK become world leaders in the development of batteries for the next generation of electric cars, helping to tackle air quality.
Other ambitions include:
- Boosting humanity’s ability to operate in the most extreme and hazardous environments, developing cutting-edge Artificial Intelligence (AI) and robots for off-shore and nuclear energy, space and deep mining
- Accelerating patient access to new drugs through the development of speedy, new ways of manufacturing medicine.
He is also expected to offer a positive backdrop to his first budget on Wednesday.
He will argue that a strong economy is built on resilience, so the Government will continue reducing the deficit, not shirking the difficult decisions on tax and spending, while still investing in Britain’s future.
The Treasury said earlier this week that the Budget would see a shake-up of technical education ‘amid major investment in skills’ and that Mr Hammond would use it ‘to back the scientists, tech developers and innovators of the future so Britain remains at the forefront of the global technological revolution’.
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