BANNING new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2040 will not deal with the current “public health emergency” caused by illegal air pollution, the UK Government has been warned.

After a long-running legal battle ministers unveiled their court-mandated plans for meeting legal European Union limits on harmful nitrogen dioxide pollution, much of which comes from road transport – especially diesel vehicles.

They include a £255 million fund to help local authorities come up with ways to improve air quality.

However, much of the focus is on plans to end the sale of all conventional petrol and diesel cars by 2040, to help tackle air pollution and climate change emissions.

Air pollution causes an estimated 40,000 premature deaths each year in the UK and is linked to health problems including childhood illnesses, heart disease and dementia.

The Government was ordered to produce new plans to tackle nitrogen dioxide after the courts ruled previous proposals were insufficient to meet EU pollution limits.

Environmental law firm ClientEarth, which took the Government to court, said the final version of the plans appeared to be “little more than a shabby rewrite of the previous draft plans” and lacked urgency.

Chief executive James Thornton said: “The Government is passing the buck to local authorities to come up with their own schemes as an alternative to clean air zones which charge the most polluting vehicles to enter our towns and cities.”

Air quality is devolved and the Scottish Greens have called on the Scottish Government to spell out what it will do in the two decades before the ban comes into force.

The party’s transport spokesperson John Finnie said the Scottish Government should not go at Westminster’s pace and should show “real vision” for a “carbon-free future”.

Highlands and Islands MSP Finnie said: “A ban by 2040 is welcome, but it doesn’t go nearly far enough or fast enough and it’s a shame the UK government has decided to go at the same pace as France and others rather than taking a lead. The focus will now be on the Scottish Government who must decide if they will allow Westminster to set the pace, or if they are to be bold and show real vision for a carbon-free future.

“It’s not enough to say they’ll take care of pollution and people’s health in 23 years’ time, we need ministers and councils to put plans in place now to tackle engine idling and improve car sharing.

“Introducing a 20 mph default speed limit in urban areas is one way the Scottish Government can prove its willingness to act.”

Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said no-one should doubt the Scottish Government’s determination to improve air quality and fight climate change.

“We want to achieve a dramatic increase in the percentage of ultra-low emission cars and vans on Scotland’s roads and it is encouraging to see the UK Government follow our lead,” she said. “Our Cleaner Air for Scotland strategy sets out how we plan to ensure Scotland’s air quality is the best in Europe and work is already well underway to deliver Scotland’s first low emissions zone.

“Officials are studying the detail of the UK Government’s plans to phase out petrol and diesel cars and, crucially, what they mean for Scotland.

“We are determined to ensure Scotland continues to set an example for the rest of the UK and countries across Europe and around the world to follow.”

Gina Hanrahan, acting head of policy at environmental group WWF Scotland welcomed the news, but added: “The clean-up needs to happen much faster. That’s why we’re calling on the Scottish Government to include the phase out of new diesel and petrol cars by 2030, ten years earlier than proposed by Westminster, in the forthcoming Climate Change Bill.

“Ending the dominance of fossil fuel vehicles will reduce emissions, clean up our polluted air and tackle a public health crisis.”

Emilia Hanna from Friends of the Earth Scotland said: “The Scottish Government has today failed to announce any new measures to tackle toxic air pollution without delay.”