UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown promises ‘green’ budget

clipped from www.energyefficiencynews.com In an interview with The Independent newspaper, UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown promises that the Budget to be announced later this month will be ‘green’. The Budget will introduce measures to make the UK a leader in electric, hybrid and fuel efficient vehicles. Trials of electric cars will begin in two or three cities next year and the Government will start talks with electricity companies to set up a nationwide network of recharging points for electric vehicles, said Brown. The Government also plans to relax the planning rules for wind farms and push for smart meters to be installed in every home. Brown said that the Government is also seriously considering the introduction of a ‘scrappage’ scheme, which would give car owners up to £2000 for trading in older, less efficient models for newer, cleaner vehicles.