DRI diesel vans warning
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• Diesel vans could become a thing of the past in Europe due to inadequate current particulate emission trap standards, warns the international business forecast service DRI.
According to Edmund Chew at DRI: "The countries where measures have already been introduced — Scandinavia, Switzerland and Austria — are setting a standard that other European markets cannot aspire to.
"This would be very serious for the UK industry because of the strong diesel direction its research has taken, and the future does not look likely to bring improvements in particulate trap systems which could bring emissions down to the required levels."
The problem was recently highlighted in a House of Lords select committee's call for exhaust control of diesel-engined vans (CM 5-11 May).
Austin Rover is to open a 23.5 million research centre in the West Midlands that will attempt to control the pollution from vehicle exhausts. The centre will try to meet the tough new European Community legislation that will come into force in the next few years. All Austin Rover staff currently working on fuel emissions will be moved to the centre, which will work solely on Austin Rover products.