Scrappage scheme reduces car impact to environment

According to a new research, the earlier introduced car scrappage scheme has huge impact to UK drivers and the environment. Statistics published by Cleangreencars, an environmental website dedicated to cars, revealed that the average carbon emission of vehicles purchased last year stood at 149.8g/km – a 5.6 per cent cut from 2008’s figures.

The website reasoned out that many drivers in 2009 bought smaller cars with the help of the scrappage incentive, while others exchanged their inefficient old car models to modern ones. Jay Nagley, publisher of the website, said that the scrappage scheme accounted for about half of the improvements recorded from last year, adding that automakers should prioritize the delivery of carbon-efficient cars to customers.

Currently, there are two car manufacturers that are below the EU carbon emission reduction target of 130g/km.Toyota and Fiat – which produce127.9g/km and 129.7g/km of carbon gas, respectively – are leading the way in reducing the UK’s greenhouse gas emission. Meanwhile, Mini car comes third in the ranking, with a 131.7g/km mark.

In terms of the total tonnes of carbon gas saved, Ford continues to place at the top with over 30,000 tonnes saved last year.

Nagley informed that there was a sharp decrease in 2009’s carbon emission figures due to the UK government’s scrappage incentive, which encourages buyers to shift to smaller cars. The publisher moreover said that the recent achievement of leading car companies means that no carmaker will have an excuse not to achieve the EU target. He however warned that the scrappage programme is expected to end next month.