Tax U-turn to buyers of ‘green’ cars before July benefit from new rates

DRIVERS will not be punished for “going green” before new motor tax incentives kick in this summer, it emerged last night.

Environment Minister John Gormley bowed to pressure to allow people who purchased low-emission cars after the overhaul was announced in the Budget to gain from the changes.

The original plan would have seen environmentally friendly cars bought between last December and the beginning of the new regime on July 1, locked- out for good from a new tax system favouring the greener driver.