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BMF meets MPs over Net Zero transport
At the recent All-Party Parliamentary Group on Net Zero, progress towards net zero transport was the focus for MPs and Peers. Brett Amphlett and Ben Scobie represented the BMF at this meeting in the House of Commons chaired by Baroness Natalie Bennett (Green Party). Discussions included insights from the Minister for Transport
Decarbonisation, Anthony Browne MP (Cons, South Cambridgeshire), and transport professionals on the necessary incentives, investments, and innovation needed on the road to net zero transport emissions by 2050.
The Road Haulage Association laid bare the difficulties in converting the commercial
New Marketing Assistant at the BMF
A change of staff at the BMF office in Coventry where Keira Lynch has now left the organisation having successfully completed her marketing apprenticeship and a new Marketing Assistant has now joined the team. Anu Singh joined the BMF in November as the Marketing Assistant based out of the BMF’s main offices in Coventry. She will assist across all aspects of the Marketing
& Communications function managed by Jeremy Harris but will have specific responsibility for developing our plumbing & heating member communications and driving through the marketing support for the IOBM and Young Merchants Group. As a digital specialist, she will also be quite heavily involved in our ongoing development of the BMF online presence and BMF social media.
New Policy & Public Affairs Apprentice
The BMF has taken on another apprentice as part of its industry-wide Apprenticeship Pledge initiative with the BMF and its 950 member companies seeking to hire 15,000 new apprentices by 2030.
Ben Scobie joined the BMF just before Christmas and is based in the London office. His role is to help Brett Amphlett with BMF policy & public affairs activity – not only at Westminster
& Whitehall – but also around the devolved nations and regions. Ben has begun work on All-Party Parliamentary Groups; MP constituency visits; and writing tax & regulatory stories for BMF publications and the merchant trade press.
January 2024
www.buildersmerchantsjournal.net
fleets to EVs - citing the limited charging infrastructure (only one public HGV charging point) and high costs for SMEs. Alternative fuels like hydrogen and hydrotreated vegetable oil were discussed as interim solutions - with hydrogen showing promise due to its higher range and refuelling efficiency. The BMF raised the first question about harnessing Metro Mayors’ growing influence - specifically to convene relevant groups and facilitate the transition of local-level transport solutions in a way that central
government cannot – a move that both parliamentary and business representatives in the APPG agreed with.
This meeting was notable as the first attended by Mr Browne in his ministerial capacity, underscoring APPGs’ importance in engaging parliamentarians on critical issues.
The BMF welcome the following new members:
Pressures on land use in London
London’s current and future population - and the housing necessary to accommodate these people - was the topic for debate when Jules Pipe, Deputy Mayor for Planning, Regeneration & Skills spoke to property professionals last month.
A specially-invited audience heard the Deputy Mayor outline Labour’s new Green Belt policy and how they would be open to developments on the Green Belt - but any development would need to identify exceptional circumstances for it to go ahead. At the Party Conference, London MP and Party Leader Sir Keir Starmer MP set out ideas on “grey belt”. In his words, land claimed as green belt, but really no more than scrubland that does little for biodiversity. This “grey belt” is being looked at as suitable for housing
development - in some cases it will be previously-developed land - but it could be a bit scruffy. Jules Pipe gave an in-depth overview of London, noting the need for inclusivity and sustainability to boost growth in the city. Central to this is the importance of affordable homes. The webinar ended with discussion on the issue of specialist accommodation - such as later living and student accommodation - and its place within the London Plan.
BMF DIARY DATES
Please check the BMF website at
www.bmf.org.uk for all the latest news and events updates in this ever-changing environment.
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