Local MP for Beverley and Holderness, Graham Stuart, has appealed to Ministers in the Treasury to ‘look again’ at removing access to so-called ‘red diesel’ for bodies such as local councils, Internal Drainage Boards (IDBs) and the Environment Agency, who are involved in managing flood risk across his constituency.
The fuel, so named because it is marked with a special dye to prevent misuse and fuel fraud, carries with it a significantly reduced rate of fuel duty, equivalent to around 11 pence per litre as opposed to the 58 pence per litre paid on the ‘white diesel’ used in road vehicles. Red diesel is fuel used mainly for off-road purposes, such as in the agriculture and rail sectors.
In 2020, the Government announced that it would be removing the entitlement to use red diesel for most sectors from next April, in line with its legal commitments to meet net-zero emissions by 2050. Red diesel accounts for 15% of diesel usage in the UK and is estimated to release 14 million tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere each year.
However, some argue that next year’s changes will significantly impact the vital work of bodies responsible for flood management, at a time of heightened financial uncertainty and increasingly unpredictable and extreme weather due to climate change.
IDBs are public bodies which help to reduce flood risk in lowland areas like Holderness, working alongside the local councils and the Environment Agency. They play a key role in protecting almost 1 million properties across England and helping to conserve over 400 Sites of Special Scientific Interest such as wetland habitats.
Graham commented, “I completely sympathise with the proposed actions on red diesel, as the hope is that it incentivises businesses to improve their energy efficiency and seek greener alternative fuels.
“The UK has cut its emissions by around half in the last 30 years, but there’s still plenty of work to be done to achieve net-zero by 2050.
“But the Government has already recognised that ending reliance on red diesel is going to be easier for some sectors than others, by including exemptions for sectors like rail, fishing and agriculture.
“That’s why I’m supporting Beverley & North Holderness IDB’s call to phase out their entitlement to red diesel in line with the agricultural sector, especially given they already use specialist agricultural contractors anyway.”
Bill Symons, Clerk to the Beverley & North Holderness IDB, added: “We appreciate Graham’s help on this, as the Association of Drainage Authorities continues to raise the matter as well.
“We fully support the Government’s moves to cut emissions, but we believe that imposi
