It appears that the relentless onslaught of Downing Street and Conservative Party scandals are good for one thing: burying more contentious news.
With the COP26 climate-change summit barely a month old, vague promises made there are now safely in Government’s rear-view mirror, the Department for Transport has dumped much of the plug-in grant subsidy scheme that was available to encourage electric powered two-wheelers.
Electric mopeds, which previously benefited from a subsidy covering 20% of purchase price up to £1500, now get 35% up to a paltry maximum of £150. It’s the same massive reduction for electric motorcycles, where maximum subsidies fall from £1500 to £500.
Furthermore, machines in either category must henceforth have OTR prices under £10,000 to be eligible for any grant whatsoever, excluding virtually all larger machines on the market, including the Zero DSR pictured above and definitely the Harley Livewire below.
This brutal cost-cutting exercise and complete undermining of the sentiment expressed at COP26 has been greeted diplomatically by the Motorcycle Industry:
“It is with great disappointment the government has decided to drastically cut the level of support for mopeds and motorbikes, typically emitting zero or low-emissions,” complained MCIA chief executive Tony Campbell. “This announcement comes as a hammer blow to consumers and businesses up and down the country, who are fully behind the drive to zero-emission vehicles and a net-zero future.”
Perhaps it’s only to be expected from a Government with such a history of making huge promises and failing to uphold any of them.
