End of the road for diesel cars? Owners face extra charges and big depreciation

Millions of drivers enticed into buying a diesel car by diminished taxes are expected to be hit by extra charges and depreciating values as Britain is compelled to fall in line with EU pollution thresholds.

The news goes after a ruling at Britain`s Supreme Court this week where the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) was ordered to set out fresh plans to tackle nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels by the end of this year.

Defra claims UK is compliant with EU legislation for “almost all air pollutants”, but faces a “significant challenge” meeting NO2 targets.

The government is expected to hit owners of diesel cars and trucks the hardest, as these vehicles emit the largest amount of NO2.

Drivers could face higher fuel and road taxes, charges to come in cities and could even be suggested incentives to scrap their diesel vehicles altogether.

Edmund King, the president of the AA, told the Daily Telegraph: «This won’t just affect big polluting trucks, but taxi drivers and families with people-carriers as well. This could drive down the value of cars dramatically.

«There have been confusing messages and the objective now seems to have switched from encouragement to the demonising of diesel.»

Some upcoming charges are already known. London is introducing an Ultra-Low Emission Zone from September 2020, with drivers of cars falling below pollution standards coerced to pay a £12.50 charge to inject the city. Other UK cities are expected to introduce similar schemes.

Meantime, Diesel owners in Islington will have to pay an extra £96 for a parking permit from next month, with Hackney set to introduce a £50 surcharge from 2017.

There are more than eleven million diesel cars on Britain`s roads – around a third of all vehicles.

Drivers have been encouraged to switch to diesel by lower vehicle tax rates introduced by the Labour government in two thousand one as it attempted to tackle carbon dioxide (CO2) levels.

But while diesel cars create fewer CO2 emissions, they emit significantly more deadly pollutants, including up to four times as much NO2.

Barry Gardiner, shadow Environment Minister, has admitted that the previous Labour government was wrong to encourage diesel cars.

Do you own a diesel car? Are you worried about forthcoming charges and depreciation? Let us know in the Comments section below.

End of the road for diesel cars? Owners face extra charges and big depreciation

Millions of drivers enticed into buying a diesel car by diminished taxes are expected to be hit by extra charges and depreciating values as Britain is coerced to fall in line with EU pollution boundaries.

Defra claims UK is compliant with EU legislation for “almost all air pollutants”, but faces a “significant challenge” meeting NO2 targets.

The government is expected to hit owners of diesel cars and trucks the hardest, as these vehicles emit the largest amount of NO2.

Drivers could face higher fuel and road taxes, charges to come in cities and could even be suggested incentives to scrap their diesel vehicles altogether.

«There have been confusing messages and the purpose now seems to have switched from encouragement to the demonising of diesel.»

Some upcoming charges are already known. London is introducing an Ultra-Low Emission Zone from September 2020, with drivers of cars falling below pollution standards coerced to pay a £12.50 charge to come in the city. Other UK cities are expected to introduce similar schemes.