Hydrogen diggers get green light to use roads

Hydrogen-powered diggers could soon be a regular sight on UK roads after the government changed the law to allow the green machines to drive between building sites.

The move removes a key roadblock to the wider rollout of hydrogen-powered construction kit, giving a huge boost to JCB’s £100m drive to develop zero-emission hydrogen engines. The pioneering project at JCB’s engine plant in Derbyshire has been personally driven by JCB Chairman Anthony Bamford, who challenged the company’s engineers to make a major breakthrough in the use of hydrogen as a fuel in a combustion engine.

Future of roads minister Lilian Greenwood confirmed that hydrogen-fuelled non-road mobile machinery are now legally allowed to travel on the public highway.

She said: “Today shows once again we are on the side of British business, as we now allow hydrogen-powered diggers and tractors to be legally driven on UK roads for the first time.”

The rule change involved an amendment to the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, signed off by Greenwood earlier this month.

JCB hailed the decision as a “historic” moment.

Chairman Anthony Bamford said: “The JCB team has done amazing work to develop a hydrogen combustion engine. It is simple to use, performs as well as diesel and has been resoundingly backed by customers. We now have the legislation that allows hydrogen-powered machines to drive on the road between sites.”

JCB has already trialled hydrogen-powered backhoe loaders, Loadalls and generators on sites near Birmingham and is now testing kit with rental firms and top-tier contractors.

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