Diesel cars and their supposed ‘green’ credentials are under scrutiny this week, as some councils take the decision to increase parking permits for diesel driving residents, in major cities. This comes following mounting concerns over the effect these cars are having on air quality.
Diesel vehicles had always been considered to be more environmentally friendly, on account of their lower carbon emissions. In some cases they can emit up to 20% less than a petrol car. It is without doubt that they are more fuel efficient, and in most cases will fall in a lower tax band due to their lower CO2 emission levels. As a result these vehicles are actually becoming more popular, with diesel accounting for 1 in 4 cars on the road and 4 in 10 new cars. However, research for the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, reveals that a diesel vehicle emits “too many small polluting particles, which damage local air quality, a particular problem in residential areas with heavy traffic”. As a result, the Government is being called upon to encourage ‘small, modern petrol vehicles, petrol hybrids and electric vehicles in urban areas in place of diesel vehicles’.
This is bad news for many diesel drivers, who are now faced with paying more than £150 a year to park outside their own home. Combined with the fact diesel already costs up to 7p a litre more than unleaded petrol, the news will undoubtedly cause a stir. Motoring groups are said to be angered by the move, but it is expected that environmentalists will be applauding the decision. The campaign group, Environmental Protection UK, is pushing for local authorities to encourage their residents to choose petrol over diesel, and agree this can be
achieved through measures such as increased parking charges for diesel vehicles.
Kensington and Chelsea council will be imposing the £15 surcharge on parking permits from next month, and it is thought that councils in other urban areas are likely to follow. A spokesman for Kensington and Chelsea council said: “Historically, diesels, while better on CO2 emissions, have tended to be rather worse than petrol engines of similar size in relation to local air pollutants such as particulates and nitrogen dioxide. In Kensington and Chelsea there is a problem with local air quality.”
The AA’s president, Edmund King, said: “Punishing someone for owning a diesel car that produces up to 20 per cent less CO2 than the petrol version is ludicrous. Councils are plundering residents’ parking for money to balance their budgets.”
This article was brought to you by Think Insurance, the specialist motor trader insurance provider.