§ Mr. RedmondTo ask the Secretary of State for Transport what steps he is taking to reduce pollution from vehicles using diesel fuel; and what regulations will be introduced with the introduction of the 40-tonne lorries.
§ Mr. Peter BottomleyWe shall be consulting shortly on regulations which will apply emission limits on exhaust fumes from diesel-engined vehicles for the first time.
For cars, the regulations will apply European standards in two stages. The first stage (directive 83/351/EEC) sets standards identical to those that currently apply to petrol-engined vehicles. It will take effect on 1 October 1990. Our current plans are to apply a second stage of more stringent limits (directive 88/76/EEC) by 1 October 1993 to cars with an engine capacity of at least 1.4 litres, whether petrol or diesel.
A further stage of exhaust fume emission limits for small cars has now been agreed within the European Community. It will affect all new cars under 1.4 litres from 1992. The agreement also gives an outline commitment to tougher standards for larger cars to be implemented at the same time.
On 1 October 1990 we shall also apply the European particulate limits for diesel-engined cars (directive 88/436/EEC). Special arrangements in line with all the directives will be made for direct-injection diesel-engined cars.
For all other diesel-engined vehicles we shall apply the recently agreed European standard on emission limits (directive 88/77/EEC) at the earliest date permitted, 1 October 1990.
Discussions are continuing in the European Community on a tightening of the 88/77/EEC standards and on the introduction of particulate limits for these categories of vehicle. Both the 88/77/EEC standards and any later standards will apply to the heaviest lorries.