Whilst on my daily run yesterday, there was a bit more traffic around than usual. I particularly noticed the stink coming from an old diesel Corsa. Later on, three generic delivery vans and two pick up trucks from an organic soil provider passed me, all diesel, all completely no odour detectable to me. And I was running, breathing deeply and I am asthmatic.
So what is my point?
Banning ALL ICE vehicles in one go is too ambitious. There is a whole class of poorly maintained, generally older and privately owned diesel vehicles which are terrible for the environment. Get them off the roads ASAP. Newer, properly maintained and professionally driven diesel vehicles may not be the heart of the problem.
Disregarding rail freight and prioritising it rail for inter city public transport over freight seems crazy in a world where human journeys suddenly seem a lot less necessary, certainly in the world of business. Redesign HS2 as a clean freight delivery mechanism to hubs and take another look at road freight.
As far as I can see, banning the ICE is seen as some sort of magic bullet but like any bullet, it is only targeting a single problem. There is a much wider picture to look at which needs a multi-level nuanced approach.
Start by banning small engined diesel cars over a certain age.