Diesel car condemned by industry group

A campaign to combat the "demonisation" of diesel has been launched by the UK's leading motor industry association.

 

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), along with BMW, Ford, and Jaguar Land Rover, believe fears over diesel are misplaced.

The campaign comes in response to several efforts to curb diesel cars due to the harmful pollutants they produce.

In December, the mayor of Paris called for diesel cars to be banned from the French capital by 2020.

"Today's diesel engines are the cleanest ever, and the culmination of billions of pounds of investment by manufacturers to improve air quality," said Mike Hawes, the chief executive of SMMT, in a statement.

"Bans and parking taxes on diesel vehicles therefore make no sense from an environmental point of view," he added.

But Gavin Thomson, from the Healthy Air Campaign said: "We need action from all levels of government to protect our health and substantially reduce the diesel in our towns and cities.

"This should include government supported retrofit schemes, a national network of low emission zones and support for other modes of travel."