‘Demonising’ of diesel cars is blamed for climate blow

BRITAIN is set to miss its climate change targets due to a Government-led “backlash” against diesel cars, motor manufacturers said yesterday.

Emissions of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide rose 0.8 per cent last year, the first rise in two decades.

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders claimed the rise was due to a sharp decline in sales of diesel vehicles which get better miles per gallon and produce less CO2.

Diesel cars are in the firing line because they can pump out more particulate pollution which has been linked to thousands of premature deaths.

But the AA said some new diesel engines are cleaner than their petrol equivalents and described the Government’s “demonisation” of diesel as “an own goal”. The society’s chief executive Mike Hawes said: “The anti-diesel agenda has set back progress on climate change, while electric vehicle demand remains disappointingly low amid consumer concerns around charging infrastructure, availability and affordability.

“To accelerate fleet renewal, motorists must have the confidence to invest in the cleanest cars for their needs – however they are powered.

“A consistent approach to incentives and tax, and greater investment in charging infrastructure will be critical.

“We need a strategy that allows manufacturers time to invest, innovate and sell competitively and gives consumers every incentive to adapt.”

He was backed by AA president Edmund King who said a more effective way of cutting pollution would be to target the dirtiest vehicles.

He said: “We carried out tests in London and found 10 per cent of the vehicles caused 50 per cent of the pollution.

“Older trucks, buses and taxis and older or badly serviced cars – if you got them off the road air quality would be 50 per cent better.”

He said drivers had followed previous government advice to buy diesel cars because they were better for climate change. But he added: “More recently the Government has sought to demonise diesel.

“As a result CO2 emissions are going up. It is an own goal. Drivers followed government advice and are now being penalised for it.”

Alex Buttle, director of car-buying comparison site Motorway.co.uk, called for tax incentives for green vehicles.

He explained: “Clearly, the Government hasn’t thought through the environmental impact of its anti-diesel campaign.

“It really needs to do something urgently to boost electric and hybrid car sales if it hopes to hit its next round of CO2 targets.

“Norway has launched progressive tax incentives for green vehicles and these have made an immediate impact.

“A third of Norwegian electric car sales in 2018 are expected to be electric. If they can do it, why can’t we?”