‘Cash for bangers’ hits the road (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

‘Cash for bangers’ hits the road

8:25pm Monday 18th May 2009 in Bradford By James Rush

Steve Thompson from JCT600 Volkswagen with one of the cars handed in for the scrappage scheme

Car dealers in Bradford believe the Government’s “cash for bangers” car scrappage scheme could help kick start the industry.

Salesman said their customers have been taking advantage of the £2,000 discount scheme with some dealerships enjoying a 40 per cent increase in new car purchases.

Andy Shackleton, sales manager at the JCT 600 VW Centre, in Sticker Lane, Bradford, said: “It has been going very well since the launch of the scheme.

“We have taken 25 orders and I think the most important thing is customers are getting into a far newer car whereas previously they were looking at an older vehicle.

“So it’s bucking the trend of the credit crunch. It has kick started new sales, definitely, since it was announced.

“I would say we have seen a 40 per cent increase in the past couple of weeks on what we would normally take on new cars.”

Mr Shackleton said the scheme was a “quick fix for the motor trade” but it would get more environmentally-friendly cars on to the road. He said: “The thing is with the motor trade, you never know from one month to the next what it is going to be like.

“We have seen an increase since January but in the last few weeks we have seen a 40 per cent increase – whether or not it’s sustainable, we will see.”

Tracey Joseph, 45, of Eccleshill, decided she needed a new car after her L-registered Vauxhall Corsa broke down.

She said: “My old car was breaking down too often and I was throwing good money after bad. The scrapping scheme couldn’t have come at a better time, as my MOT was due at the end of May and it was going to cost me £300 or £400 to get it through.

“I went to look at a second-hand car at Volkswagen and the sales person, Steve, informed me that I could get a new car for less than the second hand one I had gone to look at by using the scrapping scheme.”

Tony Barraclough, sales manager at Colin Appleyard, in Otley Road, Shipley, said: “It is persuading people to jump now, rather than waiting for a while in the future.

“The new cars was hit badly by the recession, although used cars was always quite buoyant.

“But this has made quite a bit of a difference. “It is a kickstart and I think it will just continue going.”