The government-funded scrappage scheme has been praised for putting more eco-friendly cars on the road.

Although the initiative was brought in to provide short-term relief to the car industry during the recession, it has actually produced a knock-on effect of selling more environmentally-friendly cars.

Normally the mini car and super-mini car sectors account for 40 per cent of all new car sales, however, they represent 70 per cent of all cars registered through the scrappage scheme, according to What Green Car?.

Cars registered under the £2,000 off incentive produce average CO2 emissions of 133g/km, which is ten per cent below the new car average, data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) shows.

The new cars purchased also had emission levels some 50g/km lower than the vehicles scrapped in the scheme.

By 2012 the European Union should reach its target of all new cars on the roads producing carbon emissions of less than 130g/km, the UK scrappage scheme has helped the country get closer to achieving this goal.

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