What is the diesel scrappage scheme, what deals are manufacturers offering and will petrol and diesel cars be banned from 2040?

CAR giants are offering hefty scrappage deals as the government considers a scheme to ban the sale of new diesel and petrol cars from 2040.

Both moves are being made in a bid to cut air pollution. Here’s what you need to know about the 2018 schemes…

What does the diesel scrappage scheme mean?

The diesel scrappage scheme was proposed as a way to encourage diesel drivers to switch to a more environmentally friendly car.

Under the plan, drivers would be compensated for switching their car, with the payments likely to be between £1,000 and £2,000 for a car scrapped and replaced with a low-emission model.

The scheme was offered as diesel drivers faced a bevy of congestion charges, extra parking fees and higher fuel tax to make up for their higher emissions.

Environment Secretary Michael Gove told the BBC in 2017 the scheme is not the government’s preferred option — but that it may be made available to councils if it proves cost-effective.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, who brought in an emissions tax on diesel cars in the capital, called on a nationwide scrappage scheme to be implemented.

Why was the diesel scrappage scheme proposed?

Concerns over the impact of diesel cars on NOx levels were raised by the Volkswagen emissions scandal in September 2015.

A subsequent Department for Transport investigation found that 37 top-selling diesel cars exceeded the legal limit required for laboratory pollution tests when driven for 90 minutes on normal roads.

However, the idea of the scheme provoked fury from some diesel drivers, who were encouraged to buy the cars by Tony Blair’s government.

At the time, diesel was believed to be more environmentally friendly than petrol, before we knew just how harmful NOx emissions can be.

Prime Minister Theresa May has said that she would take “into account” the fact that a past government encouraged drivers to buy dirty diesels in the first place.

Will the diesel scrappage scheme go ahead?

It is believed Government ministers will consult on a targeted scheme to get diesels off the road, although Mr Gove has said it is not a preferred option.

The Government has identified 81 major roads breaching EU air quality standards and is applying pressure on councils to make improvements.

As pressure mounts the scheme could be seen as a way to quickly see improvement.

Many car manufacturers have become frustrated with the delay and have offered their own deals.

Are diesel and petrol cars being banned from 2040?

The Government plans to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2040 in a bid to cut air pollution.

Brits will instead be expected to fork out for electric or hybrid models amid plans to rid Britain’s roads of petrol and diesel cars by 2050.

Similar plans were announced in France in August 2017.

What do MPs now want?

MPs have called for the planned ban on new petrol and diesel cars to be brought forward.

A joint report from four parliamentary committees criticised the Government’s lack of ambition in setting a target of 2040 for the ban on sales and urges it to speed up the plan.

The Improving Air Quality report also calls for vehicle manufacturers to contribute to a clean air fund and suggests that a national scrappage scheme could help accelerate the move from conventionally fuelled cars to alternatively fuelled vehicles (AFVs).

The report states: “Whilst we welcome the Government’s commitment to end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2040, this target lacks sufficient ambition.

“It is too distant to produce a step-change in industry and local government planning, and falls far behind similar commitments from other countries.”

Are car makers offering scrappage deals?

Ford offered up to £7,000 off new models in return for scrapping older more toxic petrol and diesel motors.

Cars registered before December 2009 could be offered up for scrap to be eligible for the deal.

And Mercedes slashed £2,000 off a new Euro 6 diesel, pure electric or plug-in hybrid when customers traded in their old car.

Any diesels made between 1992 and 2010 were eligible for trade-in as long as you’ve owned the car – regardless of brand – for longer than six months.

Volkswagen car owners could bag themselves a £10,000 discount for a new motor in its trade-in scheme.

 offered a similar £2,000 scrappage scheme – extending it beyond its original June 2017 cut-off date – with cash off most of its range in return for ditching your old motor.

PLUG IN Want to get rid of your old petrol or diesel and go ELECTRIC – here are the top five cars on sale NOW

Hyundai launched a Scrappage and Emission Reduction Scheme at the end of August 2017.

BMW and Mini launched their Lower Emissions Incentive Scheme at the beginning of August, and Mercedes-Benz followed with the Diesel Changeover Bonus.

Days later Ford’s Scrappage Scheme was revealed, and Toyota followed suit at the end of the month.

All of the deals, bar Vauxhall’s, expired on December 31, 2017 — but more are being introduced.

WhatCar offers on the latest scrappage deals.

What other schemes are planned?

The T-Charge was introduced from October 23, 2017, with cars, vans, minibuses, buses, coaches and heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) in central London needing to meet minimum exhaust emission standards, or pay a daily £10 Emissions Surcharge – also known as the Toxicity Charge, or T-Charge.

This fee applies to vehicles driving through the same area as the congestion charge but the £10 is in addition to that charge.

Motorists can

A £225million fund will also be set aside for councils across the country to retrofit buses, change road layouts, and alter features such as roundabouts and speed bumps.

From 2020 new pollution taxes will also hit diesel drivers travelling on congested routes.