The UK Government is to ban the sale of new diesel and petrol cars and vans from 2040. The move is in a bid to tackle growing concerns on air pollution which in the UK is thought to contribute to 40,000 premature deaths per year. 

Environment Secretary Michael Gove has also said that the government will give more than £200m to local authorities to draw up plans to tackle particular roads with high pollution. It is believed that these local measures could include altering buses and other transport to make them cleaner, changing road layouts, altering features such as speed humps, and re-programming traffic lights to make vehicle-flow smoother. A possible new scrappage scheme is also being considered.

Auto industry body the SMMT says it is important that new plan do not penalise petrol and diesel owners. Chief executive Mike Hawes commented, "The industry wants a positive approach which gives consumers incentives to purchase alternatively fuelled vehicle. We could undermine the UK's successful automotive sector if we don't allow enough time for the industry to adjust."

Motoring organisation the AA has also said that significant investment is required in charging points and has questioned whether the National Grid will be able to cope with possible surge demand after rush-hours.

The move by the UK follows a similar one by French President Emmanuel Macron, with France also set to outlaw new diesel and petrol cars by the end of the next decade.