Gordon Brown Kick-Starts UK Green Car Revolution

Gordon Brown kick-starts green car revolution

Gordon Brown has set out the Government's plans to kick-start a motoring revolution by driving the shift to low-carbon and electric cars in the the UK.

The PM revealed details of the steps at a meeting with senior representatives of the energy and motoring industries at the Motor Show in London this morning. The meeting follows the Prime Minister's call on the EU last week to set tougher mandatory fuel emissions standards, such as cutting the average car's CO2 output per kilometre by 40 percent by 2020.

Suggested measures include:

* Removing barriers in the planning system to enable an electric charging network to be set up as quickly as possible.

* Collaborating with other countries - including Germany, France, Denmark, and Portugal - on international industry standards.

* Launching a study on issues relating to the development and commercialisation of electric cars, with findings to be indluded in a low-carbon manufacturing strategy in the autumn.

* Working with the National Grid and energy companies to assess the impact on the electricity system of the widespread use of electric vehicles and ensure adequate capacity.

* Providing more than £90m of funding for UK research, development and demonstration of low carbon vehicles over the next five years, and an additional £20m to provide lead markets for low carbon vehicles through the use of strategic public procurement.

* Accelerating the pace of transition to low emissions vehicles, so that within the next three years new car purchases for all Government departments average 130g/km CO2 or less.

The British Motor Show runs from 23 July to 3 August at the Excel Centre in London.

ENDS

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