The Transport Committee has written to Transport Secretary Mark Harper following what it calls a ‘disappointing’ response to the committee’s Fuelling the Future report.
Committee Chair Iain Stewart said: ‘My cross-party colleagues and I found the Government’s response to our report disappointing as it failed to properly address some recommendations and sidestepped a key point altogether – that its overarching ‘technology agnostic’ approach on future fuels is long past its sell-by date. We believe ministers need to move on from this and give greater certainty to investors and others about which fuels in each mode of transport they should be backing. On this and other points, I have urged the Secretary of State to write to us again with some more meat on the bone.
‘My colleagues also urged government to stay committed to electrifying railway lines, or introducing alternative low-carbon motive power where full electrification is not viable, so that we can look forward to the day that vast swathes of the country are free of diesel-guzzling trains. We want to see a long-term strategy with costings, milestones and a credible delivery plan. The Government’s response indicates there is still some way to go before they will be ready t…
