Asked by: Alan Brown (Scottish National Party - Kilmarnock and Loudoun)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what support his Department is providing to help increase the number of hydrogen passenger vehicles in use.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Government’s approach to realising our ambitions for greener transport is technology neutral and we are supporting hydrogen technology where the market favours its use. The Government’s £23m Hydrogen for Transport Programme is increasing the uptake of fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) and growing the number of publicly accessible hydrogen refuelling stations. The programme is delivering new refuelling stations, upgrading some existing stations as well as deploying hundreds of new hydrogen vehicles. Our FCEV Fleet Support Scheme has also increased the number of hydrogen passenger vehicles in use, by supporting both public and private sector fleets to become early adopters of FCEV cars and vans. We are investing in hydrogen buses and 62 are being delivered through our Low and Ultra Low Emission Bus Schemes.
Asked by: Nick Smith (Labour - Blaenau Gwent)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what assessment his Department has made of the role of hydrogen passenger vehicles in de-carbonising transport.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
In 2018, the Department for Transport published the outputs of the Transport Energy Model. The model provides a clear assessment of the relative environmental impacts of a range of fuel and powertrain options for cars, vans, buses and heavy goods vehicles over the period to 2050, including hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
The Government’s approach to delivering greener transport is technology neutral and we have provided support for hydrogen as a transport fuel where the market favours its use. For road transport this includes support through the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation, the £23m Hydrogen for Transport Programme, £2m Fuel Cell Electric Vehicle support scheme and funding for the purchase of 62 hydrogen fuel cell buses. Across road, rail, maritime and aviation Government is supporting research and development into hydrogen technologies recognising its potential to be a key fuel on the pathway to zero emissions.
Asked by: Sajid Javid (Conservative - Bromsgrove)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what the proposed timeline is of the roll-out of the electric bus town scheme.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
We have received 19 expressions of interest in becoming Britain’s first All-Electric Bus Town, and each sets out a proposed timeline for roll-out. We expect to announce the phase one winner, who will proceed to develop a business case, over the summer. Further details, including confirmation of timings, will therefore be available in due course.
Asked by: Baroness Worthington (Crossbench - Life peer)
Question to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy:
To ask Her Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the case for increasing the proportion of electric cars sold by introducing a trading obligation on manufacturers; and what plans they have to publish any such assessment.
Answered by Lord Callanan - Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Department for Energy Security and Net Zero)
In 2019, registrations of battery electric vehicles were at record levels. This was almost double compared to 2018 with nearly 38,000 units sold, overtaking plug-in hybrid electric vehicle registrations for the first time, at nearly 35,000 units.
We are consulting on bringing forward the end to the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans from 2040 to 2035, or earlier if a faster transition appears feasible, as well as including hybrids for the first time. As part of this consultation, we are asking what the accompanying package of support will need to be to enable the transition and minimise the impacts on businesses and consumers across the UK, building on the significant demand and supply side measures already in place. We plan to conclude the consultation this summer. We are also exploring what more needs to be done to reduce carbon emissions from road transport through the Transport Decarbonisation Plan.
In addition, we are investing around £2.5 billion ?in grants to support the purchase of plug-in cars, vans, lorries, buses, taxis, and motorcycles, as well?as providing funding?to support the installation of chargepoint infrastructure at homes,?workplaces,?on residential streets,?and across the wider roads network.
Asked by: Jason McCartney (Conservative - Colne Valley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what information his Department holds on the roll-out of electric buses in (a) Colne Valley (b) Kirklees and (c) West Yorkshire.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
Through the Ultra-Low Emission Bus Scheme (ULEBS), West Yorkshire Combined Authority (which includes both Colne Valley and Kirklees) and First West Yorkshire received £617,000.00 for 5 electric buses and charging infrastructure and £1,770,472.50 for 9 electric buses and charging infrastructure respectively, totalling £2,387,472.50.
Asked by: Jason McCartney (Conservative - Colne Valley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many electric buses are operating in (a) Colne Valley constituency, (b) Kirklees and (c) West Yorkshire.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
We do not hold information on how many buses are operating in a particular area, but we can provide the number of buses & coaches registered in West Yorkshire according to the location of the recorded keeper of each vehicle.
The following table relates to where these vehicles are registered by their keeper, which does not mean they are operated in these areas, nor does it stop other buses & coaches registered elsewhere from operating in these areas.
Table: Registered battery electric buses & coaches at the end of March 2020
Area | Licensed for use on the road | Statutory Off Road Notification (SORN) |
Colne Valley constituency | 0 | 1 |
Kirklees | 1 | 1 |
West Yorkshire | 24 | 4 |
Asked by: Geraint Davies (Independent - Swansea West)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to accelerate the conversion of bus fleets to (a) electro and (b) hydrogen models.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Government has supported the use of a range of low carbon bus technologies, including battery-electric technology, through funds including the Low Emission and Ultra Low Emission Bus Schemes. These have focussed not just on electric buses but also included funding for hydrogen buses and supporting infrastructure.
In February, the Government announced a £5 billion funding package for buses and cycling, which includes support for the purchase of at least 4,000 zero-emission buses. The details of these programmes, including technology options and how funding will be distributed, will be announced in due course.
Local Authorities had until 4 June to apply for a £50m package to deliver Britain’s first All-Electric Bus Town. The winner(s) will be announced shortly.
I also know that my Rt Hon Friend the Transport Secretary is exploring options for a hydrogen bus town and a hydrogen hub, looking into how this country can lead the world using green hydrogen as a power source for types of transport, including freight, ships, buses and trains.
Asked by: Alexander Stafford (Conservative - Rother Valley)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps he is taking to increase the number of hydrogen powered vehicles in use in the UK.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
We are supporting hydrogen technology to deliver our ambitions for greener transport where the market favours its use. The Government’s £23m Hydrogen for Transport Programme is increasing the uptake of fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) and growing the number of publicly accessible hydrogen refuelling stations. The programme is delivering new refuelling stations, upgrading some existing stations as well as deploying hundreds of new hydrogen vehicles. Government is supporting public and private sector fleets to become early adopters through the £2m FCEV Fleet Support Scheme. In addition, £6.4m of the Low and Ultra-Low Emission Bus Scheme funding has been invested in more than 60 hydrogen buses operating in Birmingham and near Gatwick. The Office for Low Emission Vehicles’ (OLEV) Low Emission Freight Trials is funding 20 projects to support industry-led trials of alternative propulsion technologies for commercial fleets in the UK, including hydrogen. OLEV and the Advanced Propulsion Centre are funding a wide range of development projects in hydrogen vehicles, and hydrogen is eligible for support under the Renewable Transport Fuel Obligation following changes made to the scheme in April 2018.
Asked by: Wera Hobhouse (Liberal Democrat - Bath)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, pursuant to the Answer of 8 June 2020 to Question 49803 on hydrogen buses, what funding his Department has provided to increase the use of battery electric buses; and how many battery electric buses have been purchased through that funding.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
The Department has provided funding to assist the purchase of low emission buses. Funding to date has been technology neutral, including, the ultra-low emission bus scheme (ULEBS) and the low emission bus scheme (LEBS). These provided successful bidders with £43,517,720 which was used to purchase 341 fully electric buses.
In addition to this, the Department is currently considering its response to expressions of interest in a £50 million All-Electric Bus Town competition.
Asked by: Daniel Zeichner (Labour - Cambridge)
Question to the Department for Transport:
To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, how many local authorities have applied to the all electric bus town scheme; and what the names of those authorities are.
Answered by Rachel Maclean
A total of eighteen local authorities have submitted their applications to be considered for the All-Electric Bus Town scheme, with 19 bids received overall.
These local authorities are: Blackpool Council, City of York Council, Cumbria County Council, Devon County Council, Hertfordshire County Council, Kent County Council, Luton Borough Council, Medway Council, Milton Keynes Council, Norfolk County Council, North East Lincolnshire Council, Oxfordshire County Council, Shropshire Council, Surrey County Council, Swindon Borough Council, Warrington Borough Council, West Midland Combined Authority and Worcestershire County Council.