THE new Vehicle Excise Duty proposals take no account of newer, cleaner engines in vans - unlike cars with new models having VED levels based on CO2 emissions. All vans will be charged according to engine size, although the Government said any emissions-based charges would depend on manufacturers introducing their own system for producing CO2 figures for each model.

A spokesman for the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders said: 'It is quite clear that vans and goods vehicles have been treated as an afterthought. The Government has never mentioned collecting CO2 emissions figures for light goods vehicles.' The Treasury said 'There is no CO2 data available for vans on a model by model basis and there are no current plans to require the testing of new vans to measure CO2 emissions.'