Strategy shift

to make public transport free in cities suffering from poor air quality.

Germany’s highest federal administrative court is due to rule on Tuesday on an appeal brought by German states against bans imposed by local courts in Stuttgart and Duesseldorf over bad air quality.

There has been a global backlash against diesel-engine cars since Volkswagen admitted in 2015 to cheating US exhaust tests, meant to limit emissions of particulate matter and nitrogen oxide (NOx) which cause respiratory disease.

While other countries are also considering restrictions on diesel cars, bans in Germany would be a big blow to the car industry, and an embarrassment for Merkel’s government, which has long backed the industry, which employs 800,000 people. German carmakers have invested heavily in diesel to help cut carbon dioxide emissions and meet climate change goals, but the VW scandal has forced manufacturers to increase efforts on electric cars and invest in making diesel engines cleaner. Oliver Luksic, transport expert for Germany’s pro-business Free Democrats (FDP), said the plans were a “disappropriation for millions of drivers” and a confession from the government that they had failed to tackle the diesel scandal.

“Many people have bought diesel cars in good faith, now their vehicles will lose value and won’t be used in many big cities.

There is no way to avoid modifications of diesel cars at the expense of carmakers,” Luksic said.