Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask Her Majesty's Government what plans they have to accelerate the decarbonisation of city centres, including banning diesel and petrol vehicles from heavily built-up areas.

Tackling emissions at a local level will make an important contribution to the decarbonisation of transport. Developing solutions that consider the needs of different locations is one of our six strategic priorities for transport decarbonisation, and recognises that different decarbonisation solutions will be required and will work best in different places across the UK. Taking a place-based approach will enable us to engage communities in building their own net zero visions and encourage and enable further progress.

Heavily built up areas will also benefit from the Prime Minister’s ambitious plans to boost cycling and walking and vision that half of all journeys in towns and cities are to be cycled or walked by 2030. This includes a £2 billion package of funding for active travel over the next 5 years. Over £200 million of funding is available this year to Local Authorities through the Active Travel Fund.

The phase out date for the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans will be 2030, and from 2035 all new cars and vans must be fully zero emission at the tailpipe.