The facts:

• There is strong evidence that emissions of greenhouse gases are changing the world’s climate. The main greenhouse gas is carbon dioxide (CO2), produced when fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas for energy are burned
• The UK Government is committed to reducing CO2 emissions. The Climate Change Bill, published in November 2007, creates a legally binding commitment to 60% reduction in CO2 by 2050
• The impact of travel on the environment is also being addressed through policies focusing on the fossil carbon content of fuel, the fuel efficiency of vehicles, more environmentally-friendly forms of transport and the inclusion of transport in emissions trading schemes. Since 2001, Vehicle Excise Duty has been directly linked to a vehicle’s emissions, the principle of which being “the less a car pollutes, the less you pay”
• Petrol and diesel have become cleaner with ultra-low sulphur diesel becoming standard in 1999, leaded petrol phased out in the same year and ultra-low sulphur petrol becoming standard in 2001. Sulphur-free petrol and diesel were first introduced in 2004
• UK car showrooms now display colour coded labels to indicate how fuel efficient the cars are, enabling consumers to make informed choices when purchasing a vehicle
• In November 2007, the Renewable Fuels Agency was established which will be responsible for the running of the Renewable Transport Fuels Obligation, coming into force in April 2008. By 2010, the RTFO will mean that 5% of all the fuels sold in the UK should come from biofuels, which, it is estimated, could save up to 3m tonnes of CO2 a year
• In 2007, Transport for London consulted on proposals to change the charging scheme to enter the London Congestion Charging zone. If approved, from February 2008, the charge levied will depend on the CO2 emissions of the vehicle. Some local authorities are also considering varying the cost of residents’ parking permits according to CO2 emissions

RAC position:

• RAC believes it is important to make UK motorists aware of more environmentally friendly options such as labelling of fuel efficient vehicles and duty incentives to encourage take up of low emission or alternative fuels. RAC also believes that the current vehicle-labelling system should also be extended to the used car market
• RAC also recommends that drivers improve their car’s fuel efficiency through careful driving (for example, by using higher gears whenever possible or by avoiding heavy breaking). Fuel economy can be improved dramatically by simply driving more smoothly and avoiding long periods of idling
• Regular servicing of your car (including checking tyre pressure) also helps to increase fuel efficiency
• Nevertheless, from the results gathered in the RAC Report on Motoring 2006, it is clear that many UK motorists will not switch to more environmentally friendly vehicles until they see the financial advantages for themselves
• RAC believes that Government should incentivise rather than penalise motorists to encourage greener motoring. Any incentives must be both long term and sustainable
• RAC supports road pricing and investment and improvement of public transport as a means to reduce congestion and greenhouse gas emissions. However, any revenues gained in road charging schemes must be transparently used to improve public transport provision and service to ensure public consensus
• RAC recognises that there will always be some reliance on the car and supports further provision of initiatives which encourage motorists out of their cars for at least some of their journey, such as park and ride schemes or parking provision at railway stations

For further information contact:

Telephone: 01603 681914
jon.day@aviva.co.uk

Updated December 2007

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