Drivers against diesel ban

Over 80% of motorists are against plans to ban diesel cars from city centres.

This is the result of a survey carried out by Motorpoint.

The poll of 989 motorists found 84% of people quizzed were opposed to plans by local authorities that could see Bristol become the first city in the UK to create a ‘Clean Air Zone’ and stop drivers of diesel cars using roads in certain parts of the city centre at selected times.

Under current proposals published by Bristol City Council all privately owned diesel vehicles from 2021 onwards would be banned from an area approximately 1.26 square miles in the city between 7am and 3pm as part of a drive by the Government to reduce air pollution in 24 towns and cities by 2025.

A wider, Low Emission Charging Zone would also come into force to police commercial vehicles, including vans and taxis as well as HGVs, coming into the city.

Mark Carpenter, chief executive officer of Motorpoint, said: “We applaud efforts by local authorities to create ‘Clean Air Zones’ in our towns and cities but the message from motorists is that a blanket ban on privately-owned diesel drivers, especially when two out of five vehicles on the road today are diesels, won’t work and local authorities need to go back to the drawing board in order to come up with a solution that doesn’t just penalise diesel drivers.”