LOGISTICS UK: TIME TO FAST TRACK ELECTRIC VAN LEGISLATION

The draft legislation published following the zero-emission vans consultation, will encourage the adoption of cleaner electric vehicles and is the next step in the process for electric vans to stop being treated as HGVs, according to business group Logistics UK.

Commenting on the legislation, Senior Policy Manager – Road Freight Regulation Chris Yarsley urges for approval of the new regulations as a matter of urgency so businesses and consumers can start reaping the benefits of cleaner vehicles:

“The electric van legislation is finally catching up with operational reality and needs to be approved as quickly as possible. The current situation where standard size electric vans are treated as HGVs, in terms of MOT and driver hours requirements, is outdated and penalises logistics operators who are trying to clean up their fleets and help the UK meet its decarbonisation objectives. Electric vans are used for the same jobs as diesel and petrol vehicles, and it is only the extra weight from the batteries that moves them into the same category as HGVs.

“The new legislation removes this false equivalence and will speed up the adoption of cleaner vehicles as operators will not have the unnecessary expense and paperwork of complying with rules designed for much heavier lorries.

“As part of the Zero-Emission Van Plan coalition, Logistics UK has long been campaigning for full regulatory alignment between 4.25 tonne electric vans and 3.5 tonne diesel, and improved fiscal support for adopting electric vehicles. The draft legislation is a clear indication that the government is listening to the sector’s concerns, and it is now essential for the legislation to become law as a matter of urgency.”

Logistics UK is one of the UK’s biggest business groups, representing logistics businesses which are vital to keeping the UK trading, and more than seven million people directly employed in the making, selling and moving of goods.