Ford launches diesel scrappage scheme

American car giant Ford has launched a scrappage scheme to help owners of old diesel cars and vans upgrade to more environmentally-friendly models.

Vehicles registered before the end of 2009 that are fitted with a pre-Euro 5 diesel engine are eligible for the scheme, which gives buyers between £2,000 and £7,000 to put towards a new Ford car or van.

The car giant joins manufacturers such as Vauxhall and BMW by offering a scrappage scheme, although The Guardian says Ford is "unusual" in allowing customers to trade in and scrap any brand of older vehicle for at least £2,000.

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"Removing generations of the most polluting vehicles will have the most immediate positive effect on air quality", says Ford's UK chief Andy Barratt.

He adds: "We don't believe incentivising sales of new cars goes far enough and we will ensure that all trade-in vehicles are scrapped. Acting together we can take hundreds of thousands of the dirtiest cars off our roads and out of our cities."

Anna Heslop, an activist lawyer at the environmental group ClientEarth, told the BBC that the motor industry was "finally waking up to the damage dirty diesels are doing to our lungs as well as their own reputation."

The scheme will also "help support sales" at a time when demand for new cars is beginning to show "signs of a sustained drop" for the first time in around six years, the broadcaster says.

New car registrations fell for the fourth consecutive month in a row in July, which the BBC says may have been affected by "uncertainty over Brexit and lack of clarity over future government plans around new levies on diesel models."

Ford will run its diesel scrappage scheme until 31 December.