DRIVERS should think ‘long and hard’ before buying a diesel car, according to transport secretary Chris Grayling.

He suggested motorists should consider buying a low-emission vehicle rather than spending their money on a diesel.

His intervention follows reports the Government is considering a scrappage scheme for diesel cars to improve air quality.

The reported scheme would see drivers offered a cash incentive for replacing an old diesel car with a low-emission vehicle.

A Government report published in April 2016 showed that diesel cars being sold in the UK emit an average of six times more nitrogen oxide in real-world driving than the legal limit used in official tests.