UK rejects call for ban on petrol cars

The UK has rejected proposals from the European Union for a ban on petrol and diesel cars from city centres by 2050.



The European Commission says phasing out conventionally fuelled cars from urban areas would cut reliance on oil and help cut carbon emissions by 60 per cent.



However, UK Transport Minister Norman Baker says it should not be involved in the transport choices for individual cities.



Meanwhile, the Commission says there needs to be a profound shift in travel patterns to reduce reliance on oil and to lower emissions from transport by 60 per cent by the 2050 date.



The Commission also hopes to move close to eliminating deaths by road accidents by the year 2050, and halving current fatality rates by 2020.



It also wants Europe's air traffic control operations to be modernised with the introduction of a single integrated system.