Scrappage scheme leads to significant emissions fall

Just how would the scrappage scheme affect vehicle emissions? It’s a debate that has raged ever since the UK Government funded concept was introduced.Well now the results are in – and it appears to have been a resounding success. Average CO2 emissions from new cars in the UK fell by their largest margin ever last year.That’s the verdict of the New Car CO2 report released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) which indicates that the average new car sold in the UK in 2009 had emissions 5.4 per cent below those in 2008 at 149.5g/km of CO2. This is the largest fall on record and means that average car emissions are now more than 21 per cent lower than in 1997.The figures will refute criticism of the Government’s scrappage scheme which did not necessarily push car buyers towards lower emission vehicles. However, the average car bought under the scheme emits just 133.3g/km of CO2 – that’s nearly 27 per cent less than that of the average scrapped car. It also pushed the UK closer towards the EU target for average emissions for cars to be at 130g/km by 2015.Paul Everitt, of the SMMT, was pleased with the results pointing out vehicle manufacturers have invested heavily in improving conventional technologies that reduce the environmental impact of new vehicles. However, he did warn that car buyers may be discouraged from buying green in the coming years unless the Government takes a long term approach with incentives and vehicle taxes.

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