Diesel cars may suffer in Budget

Go large: Super-sized trousers a tribute to comic actor Chaplin

Motoring campaigners have urged the government to freeze fuel duty and avoid punishing the drivers of diesel vehicles in Wednesday’s Budget.

There has been growing speculation that Chancellor Philip Hammond will increase taxes on new diesel cars following calls by environmentalists to take action to improve air quality.

The All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Fair Fuel for UK Motorists and UK Hauliers and pressure group FairFuelUK have written to Prime Minister Theresa May and Mr Hammond calling on them to avoid such action.

The letter claims that introducing a new purchase registration tax on to new diesels would be “a massive disincentive” for motorists to switch to modern, cleaner models.

It went on to warn that raising duty on diesel fuel would cause a reduction in disposable income for the “most vulnerable sections of society with a rise in per- A series of XXXXXXL pairs of trousers go on display at the Tramway Arts Centre in Glasgow, part of an exhibit by Los Angeles-based artist Amanda Ross-Ho. The installation is meant to represent a factory floor and is dedicated to Charlie Chaplin’s oversize black trousers from his 1936 film, Modern Times. sonal mobility costs, bus and train fares”, as well as a “sharp decline in revenue” for car manufacturers.

The letter concludes: “There’s a much wider band of polluters than just passenger cars and to further demonise the well intentioned, hard-working diesel driver is an act of economic and electoral self harm.”

It was signed by MPs Julian Knight and Robert Halfon – chairman and vice chairman of the APPG respectively

“Calls by environmentalists to take action to improve air”

– and Quentin Willson and Howard Cox of FairFuelUK.

Fuel duty has been frozen for seven years in a row.

Environmental lawyers ClientEarth insisted that Mr Hammond should “go full throttle on clean vehicles”.

Chief executive James Thornton said: “The Budget is the current government’s golden opportunity to make good on its duty to clean up our air.”