In the Budget on April 22^nd the Government announced plans to introduce a Car Scrappage scheme in the UK, starting from
May 18^th 2009.

Under the terms of the Scrappage scheme, the Government fund a discount of £2,000 off the purchase price of a new car or van for customers who trade in cars that they have owned for at least twelve months and are at least 10 years old.

Do the rich politicians actually know why people like myself own and drive around in 10 year old plus bangers bought for about £500? Not because we prefer driving one to a nice shiney new car, but because we can't afford to go and buy a new car. I'm sure many who drive round in old bangers like me, can't even afford to buy a car of £2000, let alone buy one for £10K with £2K knocked off if they have it scrapped at the same time. Does the government live in a dream world? Do these rich fat cats realise how much disposable income most of us DO NOT actually have? Clearly not.

What is more, in these days of recycling and the urge not to be wasteful of resources, surely it is better to try and keep using an object, that cost thousands of pounds to produce and countless irrreplacable resources to produce, for as long as possible. Not replace it with a brand new object that cost even more thousands and more of the planet's resources?

Am I right, or have I missed the point completely?