First GREEN number plates take to the road today to raise awareness of electric taxis and cars
Green number plates will hit the roads for the first time from today, as the Government prepares to accelerate the transition to electric vehicles as part of its commitment to reach net-zero by 2050.
The Transport Minister added that the move underlined the Government’s commitment to tackling poor air quality in the UK’s towns and cities. The new initiative builds on last month’s announcement to end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans in the UK by 2030, putting the UK on course to be the fastest G7 country to decarbonise these vehicles.
It is hoped that the introduction of the new plates on UK roads will raise awareness of the growing number of zero-emission vehicles, as well as helping motorists benefit from local initiatives such as cheaper parking and cost-free entry into zero-emission zones.
Transport Minister Rachel Maclean said:
“We are going further and faster than any other major economy to decarbonise transport, improving air quality in our towns and cities in the process and harnessing the power of clean, green technology to end the UK’s contribution to climate change by 2050.
“Not only will green number plates raise awareness of the increasing number of cleaner vehicles on our roads, they could also unlock a number of incentives for drivers. It’s clear there has never been a better time to make the switch to a zero-emission vehicle.”
The new number plates can be retro-fitted to any existing vehicles, including cars, vans, buses, HGVs, taxis and motorcycles as long as they emit no CO2 emissions at the tailpipe. They will consist of a green flash on the left-hand side of the plate and can be combined with the Union flag and national identifiers already permitted by the regulations.
