Is the war on the motorist coming to an end?

The National Infrastructure Plan is further evidence that the war on the motorist has ended. It must have been very tempting for a cash-strapped government to impose further levies on motorists but thankfully the transport secretary has not gone down that road. Instead, we’re encouraged that he has signalled the strategic importance of car travel to the economy by committing investment to road infrastructure.

Automotive Leasing supports all efforts that make life easier for the business driver, including more innovative ways to reduce congestion that go beyond road-building. At a national policy level, there is a need to think creatively about freeing up capacity on Britain’s roads.

We also firmly support the ‘decarbonisation of fleet’ initiative and commitment to incentivise electric vehicles. The country cannot achieve critical mass for electric vehicles without large-scale adoption among commercial and public sector fleets, so it is reassuring that the government understands that a substantial commitment to the supporting infrastructure is necessary to achieve success.