EIGHT years ago I wanted to upgrade my car. My concern was should I buy a diesel or petrol engine car.

I looked very carefully into the matter. If I bought a diesel car, the fuel consumption was considerably better than the equivalent petrol engine car and the road tax was considerably cheaper.

It was a no brainer: diesel must be better for the environment and cheaper to run. This had been looked into by our Government, so it must be right, and today 50 per cent of the cars on the road are diesel.

Over the last few years I have read that the air pollution in many of our towns and cities is far greater than recommended. The Government has been taken to court over the levels of pollution and two schools in the Birmingham area are having to be relocated because of pollution.

We are considered the dirty man of Europe.

More than 20,000 people in Britain are dying each year because of respiratory diseases which are attributed to air pollution and diesel engine emissions, and people living within 100 metres of a main road have a seven per cent increased chance of developing Alzheimer’s.

To counteract this, all I have heard is that the Government is now recommending that people should think very careful about buying a diesel vehicle and that it is increasing car tax by approximately £100 on new cars bought after April 1.

Some councils are taking action but the Government should be giving direction.

It should keep things like this under constant review by competent people, and the Government should take their advice.

The Government is clearly out of its depth so what I want to know what our opposition political parties propose to do. I want to vote for a progressive party at the next election one which will make thoughtful changes and not sit on the fence.

Many political parties make comments in your paper, so I look forward to their comments on this issue.

Brian Tyldesley, Middleham