The British Vehicle Rental and Leasing Association (BVRLA) has welcomed new government support for the uptake of ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEVs) by fleets across the UK.

However, according to the body, the timescale for the implementation of many of these new incentives is simply too long.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Philip Hammond unveiled a series of measures to promote the uptake of vehicles with emissions of less than 75g/km of CO2 from April 2020, with one of the most prominent being a reduction in the ULEV tax rate from 16 to just two per cent.

Responding to the range of new incentives, BVRLA chief executive Gerry Keaney said: "The company car tax regime is the single most powerful tool policymakers can use to drive behaviour change, but it is not being used effectively.

"By signposting these tax incentives but delaying them until 2020, the government could encourage thousands of pragmatic, cost-conscious drivers to defer the move to low emission motoring. "

It means the BVRLA is now calling for these measures to be brought forward, with the aim of supporting the fleet sector in its push towards a greener future that much sooner.

Ben Robb, brand manager at The Fuelcard People, adds: "Next-generation fleets are always on the lookout for sustainable solutions that can improve their environmental performance. It's therefore a very positive development to have the government providing increased support in this area, even if it may take several years to come to pass."