Only a third of voters support plans to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030, according to a new poll.
In a sign that consumers are turning against costly green policies, YouGov found that just 36 per cent of voters back the ban – down from 51 per cent two years ago.
The poll, commissioned by The Times, showed the lack of support was particularly acute among potential Conservative voters – down from 41 per cent in 2019 to 19 per cent.
(Stock Photo) In a sign that consumers are turning against costly green policies, YouGov found that just 36 per cent of voters back the ban – down from 51 per cent two years ago
Rishi Sunak has insisted he is committed to the 2030 deadline, despite mounting concerns from drivers and car manufacturers that the infrastructure is not in place to cope with the influx of green vehicles on UK roads.
But he has stressed that action to reach net-zero needed to be done in a ‘proportionate and pragmatic way’ amid the cost-of-living crisis.
Last month 40 Tory MPs and peers wrote to the Prime Minister warning that sticking to the controversial timetable would cause ‘grave harm to the economy’ and leave motorists ‘worse off’.
The group, which includes six former Cabinet ministers, said the UK ‘now stands virtually alone’ in pursuing the rush to phase out petrol cars, with the EU watering down its own proposals for a ban that will not start until five years later.
They also question whether ‘new electricity generation and charging point roll-out is anywhere close to being on track to match the 2030 ambition, just seven years away’.
Rishi Sunak has insisted he is committed to the 2030 deadline, despite mounting concerns from drivers and car manufacturers that the infrastructure is not in place to cope with the influx of green vehicles on UK roads
Repeated polls have shown that the policy is unpopular with the public.
At the weekend, a survey by the ConservativeHome website found that more than eight in 10 of the Tories’ grassroots don’t support the measure.
The poll also found four in 10 of Conservative Party members were opposed to the Government’s aim of achieving net zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Nearly half (49 per cent) said they believed global warming was happening and being driven by human activity.
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