Ministers have confirmed plans to allow hydrogen-powered plant on public roads.
The government’s formal response to a consultation held last year on the issue said it had “decided to proceed” with the law change.
It comes weeks after transport minister Lord Peter Hendy told Parliament the government would push ahead with the policy.
“Having considered the responses supplied, we have decided to proceed with updating the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986 to allow the road use of hydrogen-powered non-road mobile machinery (NRMM),” said the official consultation response.
The government last spring asked six questions about its plan to allow construction machines, such as diggers and mobile cranes, to be driven on UK highways.
At present these vehicles need a vehicle special order (VSO) to be used on public roads. Ministers said this had been highlighted as a barrier to wider take-up of low-emission plant.
Only 33 responses were received to the consultation, a third of them from representative bodies.
The government said all submissions were in favour of allowing new hydrogen-powered NRMM on the roads.
However, it added that it would not be allowing other gaseous fuels or retrofitted machinery at this stage, as these were complex areas that needed more work.
“Both topics, however, will remain under review,” said the consultation response.
It added: “The route to ensuring hydrogen safety has been adapted to reflect the responses received to this consultation.”
Troy Aharonian, head of public affairs at trade association Hydrogen UK, said after Hendy’s announcement in March: “We’re thrilled the government has confirmed it will be allowing hydrogen-powered machinery to be moved on UK roads.
“Hydrogen has a pivotal role to play in decarbonising industries like construction, which require off-grid power to operate heavy machinery that is ill-suited for electrification.
“This announcement is a positive step towards properly regulating hydrogen use and enabling the UK’s construction sector to achieve net zero.”