A third of Volkswagen cars fitted with pollution cheating software are still not fixed, figures show

A THIRD of Volkswagens fitted with software to cheat pollution tests are still unfixed, figures show.

The rate at which the 1.2 million cars are being sorted has “stalled”, the Commons Environmental Audit Committee heard.

Chair Mary Creagh obtained figures from the Department for Transport.

VW sparked outrage in 2015 when it was found to have fitted the cheat software to 11 million diesel vehicles worldwide.

Ms Creagh has written to transport minister John Hayes to express the committee's concerns around Volkswagen's progress in removing the software.

She said: "It is over two years since the VW emissions scandal was discovered. A third of vehicles have yet to be fixed and rates have slowed considerably. We have written to the Department for Transport to ask what action they are taking in response to the stalled progress.

"It is essential that the vehicles on Britain's roads adhere to emissions regulations, particularly as the country is faced with dangerous levels of pollution.

"The Department must take responsibility for ensuring that these fixes are completed as soon as possible."

Demand for new diesel cars fell by 30% in October compared with the same month last year, according to figures published on Monday.

The Government recently announced plans to ban the sale of all conventional diesel and petrol cars by 2040 in a bid to meet European Union limits on harmful nitrogen dioxide pollution.

It is also considering funding measures to cut pollution with a tax on new diesel vehicles.