The unveiling of new prime minister Andy Burnham’s cabinet, continuing today, could provide fleets with the opportunity to revisit the most contentious of recent government policies , says FleetCheck.
Peter Golding, CEO at the fleet software company, said the Zero Emissions (ZEV) Mandate and Electric Vehicle Excise Duty (eVED) would probably be highest on the list of topics that most fleets would like to see reconsidered.
“We’ve heard very little so far about transport from the new prime minister but he does keep reiterating themes of being both business friendly and making life easier and less financially stressful for ordinary people.
“Both the ZEV Mandate and eVED would seem to us to fall into these categories. They are policies that are expensive and add complication for companies operating cars and vans, and for motorists, too.
“While we understand that fleet is not at the top of the government’s agenda, it would be positive for the sector to be able to open discussions with the new appropriate new ministers and their teams in a matter of weeks or months to express our concerns.”
Both eVED and the ZEV Mandate were ideas that could be said to be products of Treasury orthodoxy, he said, which were or could create problems in the real world.
“One of the criticisms of the Starmer government was that it too easily succumbed to what is sometimes called ‘Treasury brain’ – ideas that make financial sense for policy makers but not always for the people to whom they are applied.
“There have been noises from within the Burnham camp that they’d like to listen more closely and hopefully that approach will extend to policies that affect fleets. Especially, if we are able to see further changes to eVED or secure a delay, that would be a win for the fleet sector.”
