Motorists could earn £3,000 by leaving car at home

Drivers who choose to give up their cars will be ‘paid’ up to £3,000 a year as part of a new pilot scheme to reduce pollution.

The upcoming project, set to be launched in Coventry later this year, will give motorists cash credits which they can then use on public transport, or electric car and bike hire.

People who sign up to the scheme and leave their cars at home could make as much as £3,000 in a year, according to a new report in The Times.

The plans were approved by the West Midlands Combined Authority at the end of last week. It’ll see drivers given a smart card, to which is added credit when they give up their car in favour of other transport means.

John Seddon, head of transport and innovation at Coventry City Council, told The Times that around 100 people would initially be included in the trial, which is being funded by a £20 million award from the Department for Transport.

“We see it as a variant of scrappage schemes of the past but rather than trading in an old car for a newer one, it is trading in the car for the ability to use other modes of transport,’ he told the paper.

“For it to be fully effective we would want people to make the commitment where the car was at least surrendered for a particular time.”