This follows the publication of the association’s four policy papers – on Vehicle Safety, Air Quality, Business Car Taxation and Intelligent Mobility – which were drafted following a series of policy roundtables which the BVRLA hosted throughout 2015.

In the Vehicle Safety paper, the BVRLA calls on the Government to further encourage the take-up of Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB), including making it mandatory for all new registered cars and vans, as it now is for HGVs. The association adds that the Government should demonstrate leadership in vehicle safety by making AEB a mandatory requirement for all new vehicles procured by the government fleet.

In the Air Quality paper, the association is lobbying for the implementation of a national framework for Low Emission Zones with sufficient notice ahead of their introduction to allow fleet operators to make purchasing decisions without unnecessary financial penalties. The paper also calls on the Government to further encourage car clubs across all major cities and publish guidance on how businesses and consumers can join a club.

The BVRLA’s Business Car Taxation policy paper suggests that the Government reforms benefit-in-kind (BiK) ratings, with greater granularity on incentives for the take-up of lower emission vehicles. In particular, the association believes a wider differential at the lower category end would provide a larger incentive for take up of lower (if not ultra-low) emission vehicles over higher emission ones.

The final paper – on Intelligent Mobility – calls on the Government to support the introduction of a new ratings system for the cyber security of modern connected vehicles. It also calls for the Information Commissioner’s Office to be given more resources so that it can provide guidance and enforcement in areas of connected vehicle and driver data.

BVRLA chief executive Gerry Keaney said: “We have consulted with a wide range of fleet operator organisations and believe that the policy measures outlined in these reports could make a major contribution in improving the safety, sustainability and efficiency of road transport in the UK.”