Labour’s Net Zero ban on new diesel lorries would be scrapped by Tories
The Conservative Party has pledged to scrap Labour's plans to ban new diesel heavy goods vehicles, arguing the policy would drive up the cost of transporting food and other essential goods and worsen inflation. Under Kemi Badenoch, the Tories would reverse the 2040 ban on new emission-producing HGVs and an interim 2035 ban on smaller lorries, as well as scrap grants supporting electric van and truck purchases. The announcement came alongside criticism of Labour mayor-turned-minister Andy Burnham, whom the party accused of being "too chicken" to approve new North Sea oil and gas drilling.
Tory transport spokesman Richard Holden said the ban would burden hauliers operating on thin margins and ultimately hit families at the checkout, while claiming it would free up £877 million in funding earmarked for electric vehicle purchases through 2030. Energy spokeswoman Claire Coutinho separately urged Burnham to approve drilling at the Jackdaw and Rosebank fields, citing think-tank analysis suggesting a slower shift to renewables could save households £540 a year by 2050. The policies mark a shift away from Net Zero commitments introduced by previous Conservative governments, including the 2019 Net Zero target under Theresa May and the 2021 HGV phase-out plan under Boris Johnson; the Government defended its approach, saying it was investing £1 billion to support hauliers switching to electric vehicles.
- Tories would scrap Labour's diesel HGV ban to curb rising goods costs
- Party also criticises Burnham over delayed North Sea drilling decisions
- Move reverses Net Zero policies set by earlier Conservative governments
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Supporters of scrapping the ban argue that heavy goods vehicles are central to Britain's supply chains, and that mandating a premature switch to electric or hydrogen lorries risks higher haulage costs, unreliable delivery networks and job losses in an industry already operating on thin margins, especially given the current lack of charging infrastructure and the limited range of electric HGVs on long motorway routes. They see this as a matter of practical economic stewardship and consumer protection, arguing that decarbonisation should follow technological readiness and market demand rather than being forced by government deadline, and that businesses and hauliers, not Whitehall, are best placed to judge when the switch is viable.
The case against
Supporters of the ban argue that clear, binding deadlines are essential to give manufacturers, energy firms and logistics companies the certainty they need to invest in cleaner lorries and charging infrastructure well ahead of time, rather than delaying action until a crisis point is reached. They see this as central to meeting climate commitments and improving air quality in towns and along major routes, contending that diesel HGVs are a significant and stubborn source of carbon and particulate emissions, and that scrapping the policy risks Britain falling behind other countries investing in cleaner freight technology, ultimately costing the economy and public health more in the long run.