Diesel cars’ values ‘could plummet by 40 per cent’ thanks to pollution crackdown

DIESEL cars could fall in value by 40 per cent due to the Government’s air quality crackdown.

Estimates say £3,000 would be wiped off the value of the average used motor. And many drivers would fail to sell at all.

Diesel owners face a £20 daily pollution tax for driving in 35 towns and cities, extra parking charges and a diesel tax hike in the autumn budget.

The Sun revealed that 15 major authorities are considering charging diesel drivers more than petrol cars for parking. Cities looking at the plans include Birmingham, Leeds, Newcastle and Manchester.

But four in five diesel motorists say new green taxes will not make them ditch their diesel cars. A survey of 16,000 motorists found the vast majority of drivers had “no choice” but to drive the same mileage.

Lorry drivers would be the hardest hit by the cash grabs, with nine in ten saying they will be forced to stomach the higher costs.

Tory MP Charlie Elphicke said: “People bought diesel cars thinking they were doing the right thing. For them to see falls in resale values - as well as higher taxes - would be deeply unfair.”

PM Theresa May hinted that they will be given financial help by the Government.

Now ministers are being urged to consider a shared compensation scheme, with the cost split with manufacturers.

The FairFuelUK campaign has called for an emergency summit with ministers to lay out the challenges facing diesel drivers.

FairFuelUK co-founder Howard Cox said: “We want fair compensation for the devaluation of their vehicles.

“Manufacturers should be part of that.”