Air pollution fears see demand for diesel cars fall by fifth

Diesel sales in May are down 20% with industry insiders blaming lack of government clarity for consumer uncertainty

Demand for new diesel cars plummeted by a fifth last month amid rising concerns over air pollution.

Approximately 81,500 new diesel cars were registered in the UK in May, down 20% on the same month last year, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders. This represented a fall in market share from 50% to 43.7%.