Half of all local authorities now have an electric vehicle charging strategy in place, but only a tiny proportion are talking to fleets about their needs. The latest Fleet Friendly Charging Index from the BVRLA shows that 49% of local authorities have a plan in place, up from 37% last year.
Last week Chancellor Jeremy Hunt set out the government’s tax and spending plans. The headline announcements in the Spring Budget spanned national insurance, childcare, and fuel duty. Of significance to BVRLA members are the plans to extend full expensing to rental and leasing, following extensive consultation including the BVRLA and other associations.
Policies impacting how and when zero-emission vehicles reach UK roads will be the topic of the BVRLA’s session at GreenFleet Live! On 21 March. Beyond the update from Catherine Bowen, the event will cover all aspects of net zero strategy for fleets of all sizes.
Bill Esterson MP, Shadow Minister for Roads is confirmed as one of the keynote speakers for the BVRLA’s Fleets in Charge Conference in July. Opening the full-day event, Esterson will outline Labour’s priorities, its approach to decarbonisation and road policy, and what steps the party will take if it wins the next General Election.
BVRLA response to Spring Budget. The BVRLA has welcomed the extension of full expensing to rental and leasing, but warned that the government has missed a timely opportunity to support the transition to cleaner, greener road transport. The landmark shift in Government tax policy is poised to unlock up to £1bn worth of additional investment in commercial vehicles.
UK demand for new light commercial vehicles (LCVs) grew by 2% in February to 17,934 units. It marks 14 months of consecutive growth, according to the latest figures published today by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT). While February is traditionally a lower volume month, as many operators delay procurement until March for the new numberplate, the increase represents the best February performance since 1998.
A strong start to the year gave last week’s Residual Value and Remarketing (RVR) Forum an optimistic atmosphere. Delegates heard from a host of experts, spanning data providers, used car dealers, and EV manufacturers, with a host of reasons to be cheerful after the first two months of 2024.
Over three million van drivers – 1-in-10 workers – are at risk of being left behind in the transition to cleaner, greener vehicles, unless the Government takes steps to support the move to Zero-Emission vans. That was the overriding message from an open letter to the Chancellor last week, ahead of the Spring Budget on Wednesday 6 March.
Members have a final chance to secure a free spot to the 'Charge Forward' event taking place in central London this Thursday. The free insights and networking event is being hosted by the BVRLA in conjunction with the Energy Savings Trust and Novuna Vehicle Solutions. It is designed to supercharge local authorities' understanding of EV charging infrastructure and how to acknowledge fleet needs.
Last week’s Learning and Development Quick Wins webinar on salary sacrifice generated significant interest, with over 330 delegates registering for the 45-minute session.
The association has published its sustainability credentials for 2023, showing BEV uptake and Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) compliance across different fleet segments. The credentials are continually improving and show how the fleet sector is leading the way in the electrification of the total UK car parc.
A coalition of industry experts and trade bodies recently introduced the ‘Zero Emission Van Plan’ in Parliament, aiming to highlight the critical areas for action in van decarbonisation.