UK government to conduct its own emissions tests

Tests carried out by the UK government on cars involved in the VW emissions scandal will be done independently of the vehicle industry, according to officials.

Transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin has confirmed that: "Neither cars, nor the testing facilities will be provided by the vehicle industry themselves.”

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Instead, the Department for Transport (DfT) and the Vehicle Certification Agency (VCA) will work with the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) to carry out the tests, according to a statement.

The next phase of testing will focus on VW’s Euro 5 diesel engines that have been confirmed as being fitted with the ‘defeat device’ and will take place in a laboratory and in the real world.

The government has said it is working closely with other EU countries that are carrying out similar procedures in a bid to be consistent across Europe.

Transport Secretary Patrick McLoughlin told the BBC: "The Vehicle Certification Agency, the UK regulator, is working with vehicle manufacturers to ensure that this issue is not industry wide.

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"My priority is to protect the public as we go through the process of investigating what went wrong and what we can do to stop it happening again in the future."

The European Commission has also issued a statement, saying: "We invite all member states - in addition to the ones who are already doing so - to carry out all the necessary investigations. We need to have the full picture of whether and how many vehicles certified in the EU were fitted with defeat devices, which is banned by EU law."

The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has previously sought to reassure UK car owners and issued a statement which said: “The UK automotive industry understands the concerns consumers may have following the actions of one manufacturer in regard to emissions testing and the subsequent decision to recall a large number of its cars. This is, however, an issue affecting just one company and there is no evidence to suggest that any other company is involved, let alone that this is an industry-wide issue.

“Consumers should be reassured that cars sold in the UK must comply with strict European laws. All cars must complete a standard emissions test, which, unlike in the US, is independently witnessed by a government-appointed independent agency."

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