Work gets underway on diesel scrappage scheme

A diesel scrappage scheme could be introduced within months as part of a plan to lower emissions and improve air quality across the country, according to the Telegraph

Work is underway by officials in the Department for Transport and Defra on a scheme to offer cashback or a discount on low emission cars if people trade in their old polluting vehicles. 

A Government source confirmed to the Telegraph that finance talks have taken place with the Treasury, which could concentrate areas around the country where pollution from diesel cars is highest.

Transport Secretary Chris Grayling told the House of Commons:

"We have to find the right way to migrate the nature of the cars on our roads and the vehicles on our roads to a point where they cause much less of a pollution problem than they do at the moment."

A report released in November last year and supported by Greenpeace has called for urgent action to phase out diesel vehicles from London's roads to ensure air pollution is brought down to safe levels.

After a number of London boroughs recorded toxic air quality levels earlier this month, Mayor Sadiq Khan warned people to stay indoors and put off exercise until the levels improved.