64,000 join VW dieselgate battle

MORE than 64,000 drivers are now intending to sue Volkswagen as the dieselgate affair escalates.

Lawyers are aiming to win back thousands of pounds in compensation for buyers of VW diesel cars made between 2009 and 2015.

VW, the world’s biggest carmaker, was discovered to have fitted cheating software in 11million of its cars sold worldwide, which meant they produced far fewer toxic gases in official tests, but were much more polluting when driven regularly.

But the 64,000 who have registered their interest with law firms is still a small fraction of the 1.2million VW, Skoda, Audi, or Seat cars that were sold with the illegal software.

Including drivers who bought second hand VWs, as many as two million motorists could be entitled to compensation if the legal action is successful.

Law firm Harcus Sinclair is representing 35,000 drivers in the action against VW, together with another firm Slater and Gordon, and are aiming to secure around £4,000 for each driver who bought a diesel fitted with the illegal devices.

Two other firms involved in the action are Leigh Day, representing a further 12,000 VW drivers, and Yourlawyers Ltd, which said it had been contacted by 17,000 VW drivers.

VW has refused so far to offer any compensation to motorists in the UK – although financial compensation has been offered to drivers in the US, Belgium and Spain.