The largest class action in UK history has begun as automotive giants are accused of cheating diesel emissions tests.
Parents and campaign groups are demanding cars made by multiple brands are recalled and investigated to determine whether they were fitted with so-called defeat devices.
According to a YouGov poll, 63% of UK adults don’t trust car manufacturers to tell the truth about health and environmental impacts. Meanwhile, 69% consider it unacceptable that vehicles with technology to falsify emissions tests may still be on British roads.
Estimates suggest around 7million diesel vehicles could be using illegal devices to mask carbon output, despite laws designed to stop this practice. The ongoing scandal has now led to 1.8million motorists launching legal action against car manufacturers Mercedes, Ford, Peugeot/Citroën, Renault and Nissan, which is expected to last three months. A verdict is due next year.
‘It is shocking that a decade after Dieselgate first broke, families are still breathing dirty air from cars that were clearly exceeding legal emission levels,’ said Jemima Hartshorn, founder of Mums for Lungs. ‘Every child, every parent, every person has the right to breathe clean air — yet car companies choose profit over people’s health.’
Young people are particularly vulnerable to diesel emissions – and all types of air pollution – due to the fact their respiratory systems are still in development. However, across the UK and Europe it is estimated 24,000,000 sick days can be attributed to illegal diesel defeat devices in vehicles, costing £1.04trillion.
‘Since the Dieselgate scandal first broke a decade ago, auto manufacturers have faced no real accountability,’ said Emily Kearsey, lawyer at ClientEarth. The British public wants polluters to pay, and finds it unacceptable that there could still be cars on our roads with emissions-cheating devices.
‘Beyond this trial, the government has a key role to play,’ she continued. ‘Where illegal activity is shown, the government needs to enforce recalls – paid for by manufacturers. Otherwise public health will continue paying the price.’
Image: Mums For Lungs
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