91³ÉÈË

As part of a larger policy announcement by the Department for Transport, Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin has announced that the Office for Low Emission Vehicles (OLEV) will receive £500 million of new funding.

The support runs to 2020, advancing ultra-low emission vehicle (ULEV) technology as well as encouraging thier uptake and use. The announcement was made in a Written Ministerial Statement outlining government’s roads reform command paper , which provides further detail on roads investment following the Spending Round.

Government states in the Action for Roads paper that its £500 million funding plan “constitutes one of the longest-term and most comprehensive packages of support for this sector anywhere in the world.” The paper also reiterates government’s intention to publish a long-term strategy for ULEVs later this year.

Responding to the announcement, Mike Baunton, 91³ÉÈË Interim Chief Executive said, “The announcement that government will support the development and uptake of ultra-low carbon vehicles through to at least 2020 is excellent news for the UK automotive industry and its position as a global leader for new technological development.

“Government’s £500 million funding and longer-term commitment will provide industry and investors with much needed certainty to research, develop and manufacture the next generation of clean, fuel-efficient vehicles in the UK and, importantly, will boost consumer confidence helping to drive up the market for low emission vehicles.”

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