Diesel drivers will receive compensation to encourage them to scrap or “retrofit” highly polluting vehicles under Conservative plans to reduce emissions to be unveiled later this week.
The Government will on Friday publish its new air quality strategy which will include plans for a “targeted” diesel scrappage scheme, The Telegraph has learned.
Ministers will also consult on plans to give people help with retrofitting older, more polluting diesel vehicles to reduce the levels of harmful nitrogen dioxide that they emit.
Q&A | Diesel the undesirable
What’s the problem? Vehicle excise duty was cut in 2001 on diesel cars to reduce carbon dioxide emissions to encourage purchase of fuel-efficient diesels. The policy was in response to the 1997 Kyoto climate change treaty. It has been a success with four in 10 cars on British roads running on diesel, almost 12 million. However it has since emerged that diesel produces four times more nitrogen dioxide and 22 times more particulates, both major risks to health.
What’s happening? The Government has been successfully sued by environmental groups and has been given until Tuesday next week to unveil a new crackdown on diesel drivers.
What will the Government do? Ministers are considering a targeted scrappage scheme or paying to retrofit cars with filters.
How is the Tories’ targeted scheme different to Labour’s car scrappage scheme? Under the 2009 scheme motorists were given £2,000 towards the cost of a new car in return for trading in older models. The targeted scrappage scheme would only apply to owners of older cars living in polluted areas.
What else can be done? New clean air zones could restrict cars entering towns and cities. Speed bumps could go to cut pollution and smooth traffic flow.
What about toxin taxes? Councils have the power to tax diesel drivers although ministers do not want them to levy them.
For more on this story, please visit – http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/02/diesel-drivers-will-paid-scrap-cars-improve-air-quality/
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