OH FFS
Look lets just do them all, battery vehicles ala electric lightening style, hydrogen fuel cells, hydrogen engines and then let the market decide which they like. I mean its not as if we have arguments over petrol or diesel or lpg we just have all three options and all have their benefits and costs.
Just build them already!
Transport Fuel independance is a justa sub set of energy independance and i am all in favour of that. I also heard it might save the planet, make our oil last longer which is good considering the rest of the things we use it for like plastic. Basically though its make us less vulnerable to macro economic price speculation rises.
We'll probably build the hydrogen separation plants in the UK if we go down the non reformed gas method which means well have more jobs there and then well have more jobs in the energy sector for all the power plants required to juice these green hydrogen plants up. Of course some petrolium refineries in the UK will downsize but i'd guess that most of the labour force would move into hydrogen. The rest of the jobs would be created or more accurately moved from other nations back here, but thats tough titty to them.
So basically it will help our balance of payments, create (move) jobs to the UK, make us less vulnerable to speculation, save the planet, make us less vulnerable to International Political Power plays (Russia), give us more choice, stimulate new markets sectors. The best bit is that the only people likely to be able to this on a scale we need will be the BP's of this world and they are likely to follow the money as much as the next corporation so they will be happy as well.
Best of all the hydrogen is probably not going to cost more than petrol to produce well at least it wont when we remember that whatever petrol costs you still have to add tax. Heck we might even see a price drop, but dont hold your breath.