Call me cynical, but I find it coincidental that the Tories announce this during an election campaign. A campaign which, if they went to secure a majority, then they need to win seats in northern England where most fracking trials have been conducted.
Posted by @amey in the pro-cycling thread.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/nov/02/fracking-banned-in-uk-as-government-makes-major-u-turn