To ask the Minister for Infrastructure (i) what plans her Department has to decarbonise the transport sector, including approximately 18,000 Heavy Goods Vehicles in Northern Ireland; (ii) whether her Department has researched compressed natural gas as a means to decarbonise the transport sector unable to be powered by electricity; and (iii) what infrastructure would be required across Northern Ireland to enable compressed natural gas as fuel for Heavy Goods Vehicles.

I am committed to decarbonising transport as part of my Department’s climate change action. My officials are working closely with the Office for Low Emission Vehicles on the development of UK wide transport decarbonisation plans and with the Department for the Economy on the transport elements of the proposed new Energy Strategy to inform how best this can be achieved for the North. This will include input from experts and stakeholders in relation to alternative fuels and supporting infrastructure.

I look forward to considering the outcomes from this work and to understanding the role that compressed natural gas, liquid natural gas and other alternative fuels can play in decarbonising the freight sector and addressing the challenges faced by this sector in meeting zero emission targets.

I also announced earlier this year the first hydrogen buses in Belfast. This demonstrates my commitment to reducing energy demand and emissions arising from heavy transport.