Theresa May hints diesel owners may not be punished

Prime Minister Theresa May has indicated that there could be leniency towards penalties for diesel drivers, as it would be unfair to punish drivers who bought diesels in good faith.

Under Tony Blair’s government, petrol car owners were advised to change their vehicles to diesels in order to improve air quality.

May has said she will take this into account when it comes to future air quality plans.

Speaking during her Middle East trip, she said: "In relation to the issue of diesel cars, obviously we will be producing a new air quality plan, we've been required to do that by the courts.

"Decisions will be taken when we produce that plan - obviously we will take final decisions as to what we do. But I'm very conscious of the fact that past governments have encouraged people to buy diesel cars and we need to take that into account when we're looking at what we do in the future.”\

Meanwhile, London’s mayor Sadiq Khan has recently announced that polluting cars will be forced to pay up to £24 a day to drive in London as part of plans to improve air pollution in the capital.