T&E UK

Food belongs on plates, not in plane engines: why crop-based fuels… Europe’s leading advocates for clean transport & energy

👉 Read our full joint appeal here: www.transportenvironment.org/te-united-ki...

🤝 Our call to Government
We are therefore urging the Government to keep crop-based fuels out of the SAF Mandate. We stand ready to work with Ministers and officials to make the mandate a success and to help build a resilient UK SAF industry.

📈 The mandate is already working
Early evidence shows the SAF Mandate is already starting to boost the use of cleaner fuels for UK flights, even before the policy has fully bedded in. Like other successful transport policies, it should be given time to work as intended.

✅ There is a better path
A strong UK SAF industry based on advanced fuels could support tens of thousands of jobs and generate billions of pounds for the economy if the Government stays the course.

🌍 Why crop-based SAF is a problem
Turning food and animal feed crops into jet fuel would increase pressure on farmland, wildlife and food prices, while delivering only limited climate benefits once wider land-use impacts are taken into account.

🔍 What’s at stake
The SAF Mandate was created to support cleaner fuels that can cut aviation emissions over the long term, not to bring back crop-based biofuels that compete with food production and nature.

]T&E UK, together with partners across civil society, is calling on the UK Government to keep crop-based biofuels out of the Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Mandate and focus on genuinely sustainable alternatives like power-to-liquid e‑fuels.

NEW: ✈️ Protect the integrity of the UK’s Sustainable Aviation Fuel Mandate.

Turning crops into jet fuel is terrible economic, energy security and environmental policy

ZEV Mandate Delivers: Nearly a quarter of 2025 Registrations Show… Europe’s leading advocates for clean transport & energy

Full briefing linked here: www.transportenvironment.org/te-united-ki...

"DfT and the Secretary of State must vigilantly monitor manufacturer compliance. Stepping in early where excessive borrowing risks a compliance cliff-edge later this decade, and urgently updating how." Tim Dexter, Vehicles Policy Manager said.

Including a growing share of compliance in 2025 being delivered through PHEVs. Yet not only can these vehicles cost drivers up to £900 more annually to run and their real-world emissions are proven to be almost five times higher than official test figures.

However, manufacturers that have been slow to invest in battery electric vehicles (BEVs) or left gaps in their model ranges are relying heavily on the UK’s flexibility measures to meet sales targets.

Ford exceeded the 28% headline target without the use of flexibilities. Succeeding due to early investment, competitive pricing and new model launches

EV uptake continued to accelerate throughout the year, with BEVs accounting for 23.4% of new registrations in 2025, compared to 19.6% in 2024.

ZEV Mandate Delivers: Nearly a quarter of 2025 Registrations Show BEVs Are Now Mainstream.

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You can also find our explainer (which you can download) here: www.transportenvironment.org/te-united-ki...

#NationalPotholeDay

Boost for British business as government slashes cost of electric lorries by up to £120,000 We're making electric lorries more affordable to help hauliers make the switch, while boosting growth and investment in the sector.

Full PR from Department for Transport here: www.gov.uk/government/n...

A clear policy signal through a ZEV mandate would turn this consultation into genuine momentum giving industry the certainty to invest, drive innovation, and ensure the UK leads in the global race toward zero-emission freight.

💡 The £18 million top-up to the Plug-in Truck Grant is a welcome move, helping more operators make the shift and realise the cost and environmental benefits of electric transport.

🚫 The Government must avoid distractions from ineffective alternatives.
Crop-based biofuels and synthetic fuels are costly, scarce, and often higher-emitting. The policy focus should remain squarely on electrification, the most efficient and affordable route to zero-emission freight.

➡️ Support domestic production of zero-emission HGVs.
➡️Drive down vehicle costs through economies of scale.
Without it, the UK risks falling behind European markets, where electric trucks already hold far greater market share.

⚙️ Next step: a Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate for trucks.
This measure, modelled on the successful car and van scheme, would:
➡️ Unlock long-term investment in UK manufacturing and supply chains.

Electric trucks are already a proven, scalable solution trusted by operators like Amazon and Welch Group and fast becoming the most economical option for many duty cycles.

📅 Phasing out polluting trucks by 2040 is essential to meeting the UK’s climate targets and improving air quality for communities nationwide.

🚛 The UK’s HGV decarbonisation journey is gaining momentum.

The government's long-awaited consultation on decarbonising HGVs marks another crucial step towards a cleaner, greener, and increasingly cost-competitive freight sector.

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EU waters down plans to end new petrol and diesel car sales by 2035 Carmakers, particularly in Germany, have lobbied heavily for concessions to the planned rules.

"The UK must stand firm. Our ZEV mandate is already driving jobs, investment and innovation into the UK. As major exporters we cannot compete unless we innovate, and global markets are going electric fast," said T&E UK's director Anna Krajinska.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

🌍 With bold action now, the UK can lead the world in maritime sustainability, supporting green industry, creating good jobs, and delivering on the Chancellor’s vision for a cleaner, more competitive economy in 2026.

⚡ The solution is ready: mandating onshore power supply and fast-tracking grid connections at UK ports can dramatically cut emissions by allowing ships to plug into clean electricity while docked.

🚢 Together with Opportunity Green, we’re urging Keir Mather MP to put in place clear regulations ensuring cruise growth aligns with the UK’s shipping decarbonisation goals.