Ford to offer incentives to scrap older cars

The Ford logo is seen on cars for sale at a Ford dealership in Springfield, Ill. on July 1, 2012. (AP / Seth Perlman)

LONDON - Ford is offering car buyers in Britain a 2,000-pound ($2,570) incentive to trade in older vehicles for newer, less polluting models.

The offer is available to new car buyers who trade in vehicles registered before Dec. 31, 2009, which will be taken off the road and scrapped.

The move comes amid pressure from governments to reduce air pollution and end the sale of the most polluting types of diesel engines. Automakers are also rushing to adapt to new technology, such as electric cars, in part to address air quality concerns.

Andy Barratt, managing director of Ford in Britain, says "removing generations of the most polluting vehicles will have the most immediate positive effect on air quality, and this Ford scrappage scheme aims to do just that."