A FORMER government transport adviser is warning that a blanket ban on diesel vehicles in city centres would have a devastating impact on public transport.

Professor David Begg says eight out of ten bus services could be axed under plans to improve air quality in towns and cities across the country.

He is calling on local authorities to exclude the latest generation of diesel buses and target older diesel cars instead.

Three parts of Hampshire - Fareham, Southampton and the New Forest - are said to have one or more roads that breach legal pollution levels.

Local authorities have until next March to publish draft plans to tackle the issue - and diesel vehicles are widely expected to be targeted.

Prof Begg, pictured, a former chairman of the government’s Commission for Integrated Transport. said an outright ban that included new diesel buses would result in an 80 per cent cut in services and a 29 per cent increase in social deprivation.

He said: “Local government is rightly trying to take dirty diesel vehicles off the streets. But there’s a danger they will demonise and penalise a new generation of independently-tested clean diesel buses that are part of the solution, not the problem, to excessive air pollution.

“We must avoid tarring these incredibly clean buses with the same brush as the toxic car fleet on our roads today. Instead, we need to tackle the older diesel cars and vans that are clogging up our streets. If buses are viewed as the problem, and not integral to the solution, then the unintended consequence will be more polluting cars on the road and poorer air quality.”

A bus sector coalition led by the Greener Journeys coalition is also calling for modern buses to be excluded from any ban.

Chief executive Claire Haigh said: “If local authorities are serious about tackling air pollution, they must put this new generation of clean diesel buses front and centre of their plans.

“Not only are the latest diesel buses cleaner than diesel cars, but taking cars off the road would also help reduce congestion.”

In the New Forest the only road thought to be affected is the Southampton end of the A35.

A New Forest District Council spokesman said: “We are working in partnership with Southampton City Council to address air quality on the A35.”

Southampton City Council and the First Southampton bus company were both unavailable for comment.