The government has launched a consultation on introducing green number plates for zero emission cars to highlight their use and help councils establish local incentives such as parking discounts.
The move - first suggested last year as a ‘green badge of honour’ - could help drivers to benefit from measures to encourage greater uptake of cleaner vehicles. Making it easier for councils to visually identify electric vehicles could help them to establish cheaper parking incentives, or access to bus or specially-designated vehicle lanes.
A similar scheme trialled in Ontario, Canada, saw drivers of electric vehicles given free access to toll lanes and high occupancy vehicle lanes. The pilot resulted in an increase in electric vehicle registrations.
Behavioural change
Elisabeth Costa, senior director in the government’s behavioural insights team, said: “The number of clean vehicles on our roads is increasing but we don’t notice as it’s difficult to tell clean vehicles apart from more polluting ones.
“Green number plates make these vehicles, and our decision to drive in a more environmentally-friendly way, more visible on roads. We think making the changing social norm noticeable will help encourage more of us to swap our cars for cleaner options.”
Transport secretary Grant Shapps added: “Green number plates are a really positive and exciting way to help everyone recognise the increasing number of electric vehicles on our roads.
“By increasing awareness of these vehicles and the benefits they bring to their drivers and our environment, we will turbo-charge the zero emission revolution.”
Road to zero
The announcement is part of the government’s wider Road to Zero Strategy, a £1.5 billion package which aims to make the UK the best place in the world to own an electric vehicle.
