The government has dismissed calls by MPs to bring forward the date when sales of new petrol and diesel cars will be banned. Last year the House of Commons Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee called for the date to be brought forward from 2040 to 2032.

In its report, Electric Vehicles: Driving the Transition, it said: "We recommend that the government prioritise overarching policy goals on climate change and air quality over sectoral interests, and bring forwards a clear, precise target for new sales of cars and vans to be truly zero emission by 2032. This would put the UK in the ’first tier’ league of nations leading the EV transition, and help to harmonise objectives across the UK."