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Call for a UK ‘new car for old’ scheme
Allan Hall26 Mar 2009
Germany is extending its successful “new car for old” scheme, which has spurred record sales.
Conservative Chancellor Angela Merkel has reached agreement with her coalition government's left-wing finance minister Peer Steinbrück to allocate tens of millions more euros to finance the scheme, which was brought in to boost flagging manufacturers such as VW.
Anyone with a car nine years old or more qualifies for €2500 (£2300) as long as they buy a new car. Some €1.5 billion was set aside for the scheme, which saw such huge demand that VW posted record small-car sales last month despite the recession.
There are similar schemes in France and Spain, and UK motoring groups are pressing Gordon Brown to follow the trend.
Paul Watters, head of public affairs for the AA, said: “There will be fewer new-registration plated cars on the road than for many years, and this will be a very visible example of how the credit crunch and hard economic times have slashed new car sales. We must give a boost to the sale of new cars which are cleaner and safer than the ones they replace.”
Reader views (4)
It makes sense in Germany and France because they have a car industry of their own. We don't.
- Bruce, London, 26/03/2009 14:12
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The catch is that most of the eco-friendlier cars made in Britain are exported, and most of the eco-friendlier cars bought in Britain are imported. Mad, but true: we would all have a claim under EU law against our own government for subsidising this country's competitors!
- Mdj E10, london uk, 26/03/2009 13:50
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If I drove my old banger to Germany would I be able to part exchange it for a gleaming new Merc?
- Simon Ellis, London, 26/03/2009 11:40
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If they want to promote car safety there are a number of measures that could be taken that could cost a few pounds. For instance a device which prevents starting without seatbelts being secured. They don't do this and they mostly don't have even seat belt alarms fitted. You might ask yourself how many lives would be saved with simple modifications.
- Jack Spratt, Richmond, England, 26/03/2009 10:37
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