Cash grants offered for Scots to scrap high polluting vehicles as part of Transport pilot scheme

Drivers of high polluting vehicles are being offered cash and vouchers as part of pilot scrappage scheme in parts of Scotland.

The £900,000 Mobility and Scrappage fund is being piloted in lower income areas, including the islands.

The scheme, delivered by Energy Saving Trust, is being offered in areas where orders concerning air quality are in place.

Those taking part will be given a cash grant of £2,000 for disposing of more heavily polluting vehicles.

In addition, they will be offered up to two £500 grants that can be used to buy a bike, e-bike or public transport vouchers, in a bid to encourage a higher number of people to move away from cars.

Around 300 households are eligible. (Energy Saving Trust / STV News) Energy Saving Trust / STV News via Energy Saving Trust / STV News

Transport minister Jenny Gilruth said: “Aimed at those that need help most, this funding is helping people remove the most polluting cars, as well as encouraging a shift towards active travel and sustainable public transport options.”

She stressed the Scottish Government’s desire to “protect public health and improve air quality”, saying initiatives such as this are “supporting people to move to new travel patterns and achieve our climate change ambitions at the same time”.

The minister added: “In the coming months, I look forward to meeting with people who have benefitted from the scheme and who will be enjoying more sustainable forms of transport.”

Tim Anderson, head of transport at Energy Saving Trust said: “We’re looking forward to delivering the new Mobility and Scrappage Fund on behalf of the Scottish Government. As the cost of living crisis continues, it’s more important than ever that those on lower incomes are not left behind on our journey to achieving net zero.

“This fund will enable more communities across Scotland to benefit from cleaner air as more polluting vehicles are removed from their roads, alongside the many benefits that access to active and sustainable transport options will bring.

“We look forward to seeing the long term positive impact of the fund as we work towards the 2030 target of reducing the number of kilometres travelled by car by 20%.”

It comes after another similar scheme by the Energy Saving Trust who are offering households, within the 20km radius of the low emission zones, up to £3,000 towards the safe disposal of non-compliant vehicles.

Low emission zones in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee are now live and set minimum emission standards on roads in specific areas.

It allows for only the cleanest vehicles to enter without being penalised.

The Low Emission Zone Support Fund, funded by Transport Scotland and administered by Energy Saving Trust, offers an incentive for low-income households to take older, more polluting vehicles off the road.