Government decision on low carbon fuels disappointing.

author: FutureCar Staff    

Decarbonisation has become a top priority for the logistics industry in recent years, leading many operators to adopt alternatively fuelled vehicles (AFVs). While these vehicles can help reduce emissions, they often have heavier fuels or electric batteries, increasing their overall weight compared to conventional vehicles.

In the UK, drivers with a category B licence are allowed to operate vehicles weighing up to 3.5 tonnes. Beyond this weight limit, a different class of licence is required as the vehicle is considered a heavy goods vehicle (HGV). As logistics businesses strive to decarbonise their operations in line with the 2050 net zero deadline, it is crucial that operators can utilize their fleets without sacrificing payload capacity due to the use of greener vehicles.

To avoid hindering decarbonisation efforts, the UK secured a temporary five-year derogation from the European Commission in 2018. This derogation allowed category B licence holders to drive alternatively fuelled goods vans with a maximum authorised mass (MAM) of 4.25 tonnes. Following the UK's departure from the EU, this derogation was confirmed as permanent. However, in 2022, the government sought public input on potential changes to driving licence flexibility for AFVs.

In its response to the consultation, Logistics UK, a business group, recommended that the Department for Transport (DfT) continue to allow all AFVs up to 4.25 tonnes to be driven on a category B licence. They also suggested removing the mandatory five hours of training, citing concerns about costs acting as a barrier to further AFV adoption. Additionally, Logistics UK recommended that these vehicles be allowed to tow trailers weighing up to seven tonnes MAM.

In October of this year, the DfT and Office for Zero Emission Vehicles (OZEV) responded to the consultation. They announced that only zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) will have access to the category B flexibility, and the compulsory classroom training requirement will be eliminated. ZEVs operating under the derogation will also be permitted to tow trailers weighing up to seven tonnes MAM.

The new regulations will require legislation before they come into effect, and the exact date of the changes is currently unknown. However, it is expected to happen during this parliamentary session. While the decision to extend the derogation to all vehicle types and remove the compulsory training requirement was welcomed by the sector, the removal of low carbon fuels was seen as disappointing. This change will prevent operators who cannot fully transition to electric vehicles from immediately realizing greenhouse gas emission savings.

Logistics UK will continue engaging with the government to advocate for a clear strategy for low carbon fuels and fundamental reform of the regulatory weight thresholds. These efforts aim to support the industry as it undergoes the necessary transitions to meet net zero deadlines.

FutureCar Staff