Are Scrappage Schemes Really Environmentally Motivated?

View PDF | Print View
by: JohnVincent | Total views: 111 | Word Count: 537

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 Scrappage schemes have all been hailed for addressing environmental concerns. Some regions even state emissions requirements for the new vehicles being bought.

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.

But getting the dirty old bangers with stinking black exhaust fumes is a good thing I hear people cry and I have to agree. But Scrappage isn't the answer. The people who drive dangerous heaps on a shoestring budget are quite simply not the target audience of the schemes no are they? People close to the poverty line can't afford to buy brand new cars even with a 10% reduction in purchase price no can they?

If you think about it logically you will realise that a simple discount scheme only attracts one sort of person. Someone who is already considering a purchase but hasn't made their mind up yet. And the kind of person who is already considering buying a brand new car must have, by definition, enough money to maintain their current vehicle. Which means the car which is being scrapped in favour of the environment is precisely the type car we ought to be encouraging to 'keep' on the road rather than wasting energy building new ones

So when you feel guilty about ruining the environment because your car is a little bit older than some and maybe does 5mpg less than your neighbour's new one, stop for a minute and take a breath. If you are truly green in motive you need to ignore the hype and keep on trucking with your old faithful. But if you want to cash in on a recession busting incentive and get that new car you've been considering for years, now's the time.

About the Author

Fasttrack Motorcycles, Leicester is the place to go if you're looking to buy, need advice or want help with used motorbikes in the midlands. It's also where you'll find the author, John Vincent, when he's not writing articles for The Moped Spot.

Comments

Add Comment