Motorpoint has sold its first vehicle through the Clean Air Zone Vehicle Scrappage and Travel Scheme.
The UK’s largest independent car retailer, which has branches in Aston and Oldbury, was recently selected by Birmingham City Council to help deliver the £10m Clean Air Zone Vehicle Scrappage and Travel Scheme.
Under the scheme, which went live on May 12, people who work in the zone and earn less than £30,000 per annum, can scrap their vehicle with Motorpoint. In exchange, they will receive £2,000 credit towards a compliant vehicle.
Peter Crowther became the first person to purchase a vehicle under the scheme. And Peter, who works within the Faculty of Arts, Design and Media at Birmingham City University, became the first person in the West Midlands to take advantage of the scheme to buy himself a Skoda Fabia to use to commute between home in Willenhall and work in Central Birmingham.
“I’ve had my Nissan Note for about five years,” explained 29 year-old Peter, “during which time I’ve done over 100,000 miles with work, firstly with BBC WM and then, more recently, 5Live in Salford. However, it was getting close to its MOT and I knew I would have to spend a lot of money to get it to pass, and I didn’t think it was worth it given its value.
“Then I heard about the scheme and I would be lying if I said that the £2,000 credit towards a new car wasn’t a factor in deciding to change now as it has really helped in terms of affordability. Ironically, whilst this is the third car that I have owned, this will be the first that I have actually bought from a dealer, as the other two were through family and friends, but the experience has been really good with everyone at Motorpoint being really helpful throughout.”
The Birmingham’s Clean Air Zone goes live on June 1, 2021. From this date the owners of vehicles that do not meet the emission standards of the Clean Air Zone will be subject to a daily fee of £8 to enter the zone. The Clean Air Zone is an area of Birmingham city centre inside the A4540 Middleway (but not the Middleway itself).
Pictured from the left are Mark Jones, sales manager, Motorpoint Birmingham; Peter and Olivia Crowther