Scrappage payments increased


Beijing raises payments for old cars in a bid to clean up the streets

The Beijing Environmental Protection Bureau has announced it will offer payments ranging from 2,500 yuan to 14,500 yuan for owners who scrap cars made before 1995. The latest incentive will see the average payout increasing from 4,500 yuan to 6,500 yuan. Combining the trade with a new purchase may also make buyers eligible for a further 10,000 yuan in subsidies, according to the China Daily.

The move is part of Beijing’s effort to ease pollution, especially as public pressure to do so increases. The program has already shown success, according to media reports, and has removed 552,000 vehicles from the streets already.

Last summer, the government  considered the idea of a nationwide ‘cash-for-clunkers’ scheme, although a concrete policy never materialised.