Phase out diesel cars, says government’s chief medical officer

Emissions of a starting diesel engine

Dame Sally Davies, the government’s chief medical officer, says diesel cars should be phased out to cut the tens of thousands of deaths caused each year from air pollution.

She told the Radio 4’s Today programme: “I think we need to steadily phase them out. There is good evidence of that pollution, but you can’t do things overnight."

The government is facing pressure to phase out diesel cars, or tax their owners, after missing European emissions targets for cutting pollution.

The Institute for Public Policy Research has recommended a nationwide scrappage scheme, higher road tax for diesel cars and new clean air act.

Do you drive a diesel car? If so would you consider swapping it for a less polluting car if there was a financial incentive to do so?