§ Ms Rosie WintertonTo ask the Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions what were the estimated numbers of cars running on(a) leaded and (b) unleaded petrol in 1997–98; and what are the projected figures for 1998–99. [44938]
§ Ms Glenda JacksonExact figures are not available. During the 1980s there was a steady transition from cars designed to use leaded petrol to those capable of using unleaded petrol. Petrol cars sold for first use on or after 1 April 1991 were required to be designed and constructed to use unleaded petrol.
Since January 1993 all petrol cars have had to meet emission standards defined by EC directive 91/441/EEC. The practical implication of this is that petrol cars sold since then are fitted with three way catalytic converters which require exclusive use of unleaded fuel.
Assuming a steady increase in the proportion of new cars capable of using unleaded petrol from none in 1980 to all cars in 1991 and later, it is estimated that, at the end of 1997, about 80 per cent. or 16.5 million out of a total of 20.4 million licensed petrol driver cars are capable of running on unleaded fuel.
37WFormal projections of these statistics for 1998–99 have not been made. However, in the past five years approximately 1.2 million petrol motorcars have been scrapped each year, predominantly from the older leaded petrol using sector, and 1.6 million petrol cars using unleaded fuel added to the stock each year.