DRIVERS have slammed the Government's suggestion that they to think twice about buying a diesel car.

Transport secretary Chris Grayling said motorists should consider buying a low-emission vehicle rather than spending their money on a diesel.

His intervention follows reports the Government is considering a scrappage scheme for diesel cars to improve air quality.

People have taken to the Lancashire Telegraph’s website and voiced their opposition to the idea.

One web user, ‘yyy’s’, said people are not sure which car to buy.

He said: “I have a diesel car and don’t pay any road tax.

“I understood that was because my car didn’t cause much pollution.

“Now I am reading don’t buy diesel cars because they cause more pollution than petrol cars.

“Confused? You bet I am.”

The scrappage scheme would see drivers offered a cash incentive for replacing an old diesel car with a low-emission vehicle.

A Government report published in April showed that diesel cars being sold in the UK emit an average of six times more nitrogen oxide in real-world driving than the legal limit used in official tests.

User ‘114aut_a11’ said: “Aeroplanes, helicopters, fighter jets around the world, rockets into space for research, nuclear plants cause much more pollution than a two-litre diesel engine.

“The government needs to look at the bigger picture.

“The private jets they use which have huge Rolls Royce engines in them produce more pollution than a good few diesel cars altogether.”

Commenter ‘billy32’ said a lot of vehicles would have to be changed over to petrol or not used at all.

He said: “Does that mean the government are going to phase out diesel powered buses, ambulances, military vehicles?

“What about diesel powered taxis? Are they going to stop people from using them? I for one doubt it.”