The Light Buses Using Cleaner Fuel Incentive Scheme, which aims to improve air quality by encouraging owners to replace diesel light buses with LPG or electric ones, will end on December 31, the Transport Department says.

Under the scheme, eligible diesel public light bus owners who replace their diesel vehicles with LPG or electric ones can apply for a one-off grant of $60,000 or $80,000. Eligible diesel private light bus owners who replace their diesel vehicles with LPG ones can apply for first registration tax remission.

To be eligible for the one-off grant, diesel public light bus owners must scrap and de-register by December 31 their diesel vehicles before they reach 10 years of age and replace them with LPG or electric public light buses within one month from the date of de-registration.

They must also submit the applications for the one-off grant to the department by December 31 or within one month from the date of de-registration of their diesel public light buses, whichever date is later.

To be eligible for the first registration tax remission, diesel private light bus owners must scrap and de-register by December 31 their diesel vehicles before they reach 10 years of age and replace them with LPG ones within one month from the date of de-registration.

They must also submit the applications for the first registration tax remission to the department when applying for registration of the replacement LPG private light buses.

Programme helps boost air quality

The incentive scheme is part of the Government's comprehensive programme since 1999 to cut the particulate and nitrogen oxides emissions by 80% and 30% from motor vehicles to improve air quality.

The programme is progressing well, with suspended particulates and nitrogen oxides emitted by motor vehicles in the urban areas lowered 79% and 41% in September.

Nowadays, virtually all taxis use LPG as fuel. Smoky vehicles have also been reduced by about 80%.