BE an environmentalist and drive a new car - that's the message from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders as it continues to press the Government to introduce a scrappage scheme.

Under the scheme the Government and manufacturers would join forces to give motorists a cash allowance to buy a new car in return for removing their 'polluting' old cars from the UK's roads.

The SMMT has been pressing for a scrappage scheme to be introduced for several years and this week denied that it was 'back on the agenda' with a spokesman saying that it had never been off.