With the King’s Speech having outlined a new parliamentary agenda until 2029, we now look forward to working with government to deliver its ambitions for green economic and industrial growth. As global competition for automotive investment intensifies and decarbonisation becomes more pressing, government’s already published Automotive Sector Plan and commitments, including a new Industrial Strategy Council, the Better Buses Bill, Great British Energy and Skills England Bill, can all help deliver that change.
A joined up, cross-sector strategy to secure economic stability, deliver clean and affordable energy, futureproof the national grid, reform skills and nurture trade partnerships will increase the UK’s appeal as a place to build, sell and drive the latest vehicle technology. Putting our country front of mind for international investors is key so renewing the UK’s global trade strategy, beginning with government’s inaugural Global Investment Summit in the Autumn, is important to that journey.
A fresh focus on enhancing our trade relationships is a mission that’s already begun, with SMMT and the VDA, our German counterpart, hosting automotive representatives from Britain and Germany’s business departments in Berlin this week. From trade and industrial policy to the skills transition and automated vehicles, our two markets are intertwined and many of our challenges shared. By working together and sharing best practice, we can seek successful, sustainable solutions that deliver a new generation of mobility and prosperity in the UK and across the EU.
As we strive to succeed globally, we must also grow at home, and a renewed devolution agenda can be used to the advantage of a green automotive transition. A nationally devised, locally delivered plan for EV infrastructure, for example, remains crucial to ensure the right numbers of charge points that cater for all road transport users are placed in the right locations and ahead of need. After all, the speed at which our markets and manufacturing are able to decarbonise will ultimately depend on having the right enablers in place, enablers that will ensure a fair transition for every motorist and operator in every part of the UK.
