The report is launched alongside a Zemo-convened Parliamentary Roundtable event in Westminster where cross-party MPs and Lords (including members of both Transport and Business and Trade Committees) will discuss the report’s recommendations.
The project: Decarbonising UK Road Transport: Map of Missing Policies has been supported by the European Climate Foundation (ECF) and builds on the foundations provided by the Delivery Roadmap for Net Zero Transport which Zemo published in December 2025.
The work adds to, and reinforces, Zemo’s efforts to achieve a more urgent, comprehensive and integrated approach to delivering net zero transport in the UK.
The Map of Missing Policies identifies specific policy proposals, breaking down road transport into sub-sectors: buses; coaches; cars; vans and commercial vehicles. Each section includes a summary of the current situation, active government policies and proposals for new policies to accelerate and coordinate the transition. Energy/fuel-specific and cross-cutting recommendations are included within the relevant section.
The recommendations include:
Passenger cars
- Reintroduce the Plug-In Car Grant, targeted on more affordable models.
- Investigate possible government support for social leasing schemes – offering subsidized lease rates for EVs to lower income groups.
- Introduce grants for used electric cars that fall within the typical price range of equivalent new entry- to mid-level models, with the scheme running for five years.
- Incentivise the sharing of private chargepoints.
Commercial Vehicles
- Extend the Plug-In Truck Grant to 2030, removing annual review processes and ensuring longer term financial commitment.
- Publish a strategy for supporting a national charging infrastructure for heavy duty vehicles along the strategic road network and at motorway service areas.
- Put in place a five year funding framework for fleet charging and refuelling infrastructure,
Vans
- Extend the Plug-In Van Grant beyond April 2026.
- Introduce grants for second hand electric van purchases on a time limited basis.
- Use consumer and business incentives to encourage the use of PLVs for last-mile deliveries.
Buses
- Phase in a higher basic BSOG for electric buses and simultaneously taper it for existing diesel models until 2032.
- Create a new capital funding stream to ensure the distribution of infrastructure funding to smaller operators.
- Traffic commissioners could restrict purchase of new diesel buses by attaching conditions to operating licenses, requiring operators to transition to zero emission vehicles within a specific timeframe.
Coaches
- Work with industry to agree a realistic end-of-sale date for new non-zero emission coaches as the first step in a broader zero emission coach strategy.
- Develop an initiative for the coach sector modelled on the Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator Programme (ZEHID) to identify the most suitable technologies for coach operations and trial opportunities for innovation.
- Consider using grant or other funding to support the growth of the zero emission coach market, once more models of coach are available to purchase.
Commenting on the report’s publication, Zemo’s Acting Managing Director Jonathan Murray said: “UK transport’s transition to net zero is well under way, though progress is uneven across the sector. There are still many specific hurdles that these policy prescriptions seek to address as we accelerate into the delivery phase of transport decarbonisation.
“What gives these policy prescriptions relevance and legitimacy is the fact that they have been scrutinised by such a wide cross-section of industry and academic experts, many of them Zemo Partnership members.”
Neil Stockley, Zemo Head of Public Affairs and the report author said: “The UK’s road transport landscape is changing dramatically in a short time-frame. It’s vitally important that policy development keeps pace with this changing landscape to help ensure that the UK’s net zero transport industry continues to thrive and can contribute as much as possible to the UK’s economy and future prospects.
“I’d like to thank the many industry leaders and associated experts who have contributed their time and energy to helping Zemo complete this important work.”
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