Scrappage scheme is solution to pollution...

‘CLEAN Air Zone is just an idea – a range of potential ideas are beginning to be explored,’ says Councillor Rosa Battle, member of the environment for Manchester city council (M.E.N., Saturday, May 13).

They can pretend they are indifferent, but reading between the lines, it looks like Manchester council are keen for our cash under the guise of pollution taxes, and if pollution taxes are levied, they will continue to grow faster than Pinocchio’s nose, just look at London’s Congestion Charge!

A pollution tax will not reduce pollution. Why? Older vehicles are targeted with a daily charge. Why do some people drive older vehicles and not buy nice, shiny, environmentally friendly new ones? Obvious isn’t it, they cannot afford them.

If it doesn’t put owners of older cars, vans and HGVs off the road completely, most will think – carry on, it’s still cheaper than buying a new one, and at the same time Manchester council will have access to millions of extra pounds revenue per year for putting up a few cameras, without making any difference to pollution and vehicle emissions – which we must remember are already heavily taxed!

The government must hold their hands up and admit they are culpable – they encouraged a whole generation of motorists to ‘go diesel.’

It is therefore their duty to accept their mistake and launch the only effective and fair solution: a generous scrappage scheme funded from some of the foreign aid budget – between five and seven thousand pounds for each car/ van deemed ‘harmful’ and thousands more for HGVs. N Waddecar, Greater Manchester