It’s widely considered over the years diesel vehicles are a green alternative to petrol however diesel engines have higher emissions of nitrogen oxide (a harmful pollutant that causes environmental damage but also health concerns).
The Government have been ordered by the Supreme Court to provide the European Commission with a better plan to curb air pollution. In turn, the Government blamed manufacturers on emissions, testing in lab conditions were very different to those in real life.
So are petrol vehicles now better than diesels? It’s not that clear cut but at the moment it does depend on where you live, what mileage you cover and how old the vehicle is.
If you live in certain areas of London, you may want to look at alternatives now as some councils are imposing charges for polluting vehicles. Last April 2015 Islington Council brought in a annual £96.00 bill for residents parking permits on diesel vehicle where as Hackney Council has proposed a similar bill, £50.00 for 2017. They are also considering extra charges for cars built before 2001 to reflect the level of CO2 they produce. Other cities which are also considering schemes are Birmingham, Bristol and Leicester.
Since September 2015, all diesel vehicles have to meet the Euro VI standards – bringing down the NOx emissions from 180mg/km to 80mg/km.
So in essence, older vehicles which don’t meet Euro VI standards are likely to be hit with extra charges and levies.
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