Eco-hypocrites! Green quango runs a fleet of 3,356 ‘dirty’ diesel vehicles

ENVIRONMENT Agency bosses have been branded ‘eco-hypocrites’ for running a fleet of more than 3,000 diesel vehicles – but only 27 purely electric ones.

The quango says its main aim is to create a ‘cleaner, healthier environment’.

But its fleet of 5,330 vans, cars, 4x4s and HGVs has 3,356 (63 per cent) ‘dirty’ diesels and 750 petrol-powered vehicles, a freedom of information request found. There are 1,197 plug-in and hybrid vehicles – but only 27 (0.5 per cent) are purely electric.

Critics accuse the agency, which has an annual budget of £1.4billion, of failing to lead by example. Last night the agency vowed to replace its diesel cars with ultralow emission vehicles by 2025.

Millions were encouraged to buy diesels by Tony Blair’s government because they are more fuel-efficient than petrol cars. But scientists and governments worldwide have changed their tune as diesels emit more nitrogen oxides, which damage the environment and harm health.

The worsening air quality in cities has sparked calls for extra levies to be charged on diesel drivers.

In the Environment Agency’s recent 2020 ‘mission statement’, its £205,000-ayear chief executive Sir James Bevan said the agency had ‘helped protect our waters, land and air from pollution’. Jenny Bates, of Friends of the Earth, said: ‘You’d expect the Environment Agency to lead by example.’

An Environment Agency spokesman said: ‘Our vehicles are selected on the basis of CO2 and NOx emissions, as well as operational effectiveness and value for money for the taxpayer.’