Merkel says Germany wants to avoid driving restrictions or bans for diesel cars

German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Wednesday that the Federal Government wanted to avoid driving restrictions or even bans for highly polluting diesel cars.

Speaking to reporters after a two-day cabinet meeting, Merkel said: “There are no plans for a big car summit’’.

”But there surely will be meetings of the technical working groups which have been created in the framework of this summit process.”

Merkel said the transport and the environment minister had agreed that any driving restrictions in the form of “blue badges” or city bans for diesel cars should be avoided.