Green plates for green vehicles?

ENVIRONMENT

Electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles could be given green registration plates to raise awareness of ultra-low emission vehicles.

News of the proposal, which will be subject to consultation, came as the Government hosted the UK’s first zero emission vehicle summit in Birmingham this week. The Prime Minister Theresa May announced a further £106m of Government funding for research and development in ‘green’ vehicles, new batteries and refuelling technologies. She said she wanted all new cars and vans sold in the UK to be, “effectively, zero-emission by 2040”.

In addition to performing an awareness-raising function, the DfT said green registration plates could support local incentives for electric vehicles such as access to bus or low emission vehicle lanes, electric charging bays, or ultra-low- emission-zones.   

Transport secretary Chris Grayling said: “Adding a green badge of honour to these new clean vehicles is a brilliant way of helping increase awareness of their growing popularity.”

The Behavioural Insights Team, a company jointly owned by the Government, innovation charity Nesta, and employees, has provided advice to Government on the plan. Welcoming the DfT’s announcement, it said: “By increasing their visibility on the roads, green plates could re-adjust our perception of the norm. If we think more of our fellow road users are buying and driving clean cars, we in turn might be more likely to buy them ourselves, as we have a tendency to conform to what we think people around us are doing.”

Edmund King, president of the AA, said: “As the number of green plates increases it could help convince previously sceptical drivers that electric vehicles work. It could also be an easier way to implement incentives for electric car ownership such as free or preferential parking.”

But King said drivers should not be forced to use a green plate. “Drivers should be able to choose whether they opt for a green plate in the same way that they may currently opt for a GB or Euro symbol on their number plate. Drivers shouldn’t be forced to display their green credentials on their number plate.”