The Hard Truth About Scrappage Schemes.

Posted under environment by John Vincent

Scrappage is a relatively new scheme which has been introduced by several governments on both sides of the Atlantic. Under the scheme citizens of each country involved are offered several thousand units of currency toward the purchase price of a brand new car. In exchange for this money they must trade in their old car which has to be at least 10 years old. The old car is then immediately crushed.

These schemes have all been introduced as part of each government’s environmental policy statements. France and Italy even go as far as to specify the level of emissions allowable on the new purchase vehicle.

This environmental angle has also been pushed by the motor trade. For example the chief executive of the UK’s Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders Ltd has been quoted as saying “smaller, lower CO2-emitting cars are taking the lion’s share of registrations, which will have a positive impact in reducing emissions…”

But let’s be honest. These schemes aren’t really about saving the environment now are they? That’s just a pretty decoration to make the real scheme seem more attractive. The reality is that it takes more energy to manufacturer just one new vehicle than it does to run a 10 year old heap for an additional 100,000 miles. These schemes are designed for an entirely different purpose. They were designed to boost flagging economies.

The thing is our governments know this perfectly well. They just don’t think it’s as important as rebuilding our flagging economies and I’m not about to start a debate about which *is* more important either. All I am trying to say is that you are being sold a lie if you believe that taking part in a Scrappage scheme will benefit the environment. It isn’t a green option, it’s simply about the money.

Some people will still argue that it can’t be a bad thing if we are removing some of the appalling examples of oil-dripping, blue-smoking wrecks that occasionally blot our landscape, and lungs, when we get caught behind them. And I’d agree. But we won’t do it by offering the drivers of this type of vehicle a discount off a brand new car. If they’re driving a wreck the chances are they can’t get afford to come up with a deposit let alone the monthly repayments.

So who are the target audience and who will benefit from these schemes? It’s the middle income earners who have been ‘putting off’ buying a new car for a few months or even years. The reason they haven’t yet taken the plunge is because their old and faithful workhorse family car has been serviced regularly since they bought it and is consequently reasonably reliable. In actual fact they’ve probably been waiting for an excuse for years but can’t quite justify the expense. But that’s the rub isn’t it? Their daily drivers are exactly the kind of car we should be encouraging to keep on the road if we’re going to continue driving at all. Because running one for several years more does less global damage than building a brand new one.

If you’re taking what I’ve said with a pinch of salt but are still reading this article, might I suggest you actually ask the new car dealers what vehicles they have scrapped under the scheme. I believe you won’t find very many smoking old bangers on the list.

John Vincent is fighting for freedom, liberty and space for his bikes. In his spare time he also writes a blog of his own and contributes to another.