This morning (Wednesday 19th April) Daniel Zeichner, Member of Parliament for Cambridge, spoke for the Opposition in a debate on a scrappage scheme for diesel vehicles and challenged the Government to do more to reduce air pollution.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) stated in a 2016 report that road transport still accounts for 34 per cent of UK nitrogen oxides emissions in 2015 and the European Commission reported in 2016 that around four fifths of road traffic Nitrogen Oxide levels come from diesel-powered vehicles.

Daniel Zeichner MP said: “The Government has found itself presiding over nothing short of an air quality crisis that is poisoning our towns and cities.

“The Conservatives’ continued failure to address the problem meant that it took a Supreme Court ruling to force them into action.

“Labour recognise the need for action. Clean air is a right, not a privilege.”

Mr Zeichner also praised moves by the then Labour Government in 2009 which introduced a car scrappage scheme but recognises that circumstances are different and it is important to take the most polluting vehicles off the roads.

He added: “To achieve any positive results a scrappage scheme must be value for money and properly targeted at the right drivers.

“Without targeting the right drivers operating in crisis areas, a scrappage scheme risks having limited impact. It’s therefore essential the Government publishes robust environmental impact statement and cost-benefit analysis on any proposal.”