News

A proposed European tax on petrol and diesel will charge motorists up to £27 per tonne of CO2 emitted by their vehicle, an amount equivalent to an extra £2.40 on a tank of fuel. The European Commission is seeking a common approach to the European Union’s climate change policy and the idea of a fuel tax is supported by a number of countries,...

Renewable energy supplier, Hoval, is to expand its fleet of Toyota Prius company cars. David Hemington, finance director for Hoval, said that the company had no problems with its current crop of hybrids: “I don’t get any feedback from our existing Prius drivers – which is good, because that means they’re happy and...

The AA and the RAC were today pipped to the post by an ethically-run firm called the ETA that beat the household names to win Breakdown Company of the Year. The ETA (Environmental Transport Association) was established twenty years ago as a green alternative to other motoring organisations and now employs a carbon-neutral fleet of over...

Drivers of cars with low emissions in Richmond-upon-Thames will now be able to benefit from cheaper parking. The local scheme means that those with vehicles with low-to-medium emissions pay 10p per 20 minutes for on-street parking – halve the amount paid by vehicles emitting higher levels of carbon. Councillor David Trigg said that 60...

New EU legislation that would have required an environmental efficiency rating on all car tyres has been watered down to little more than a voluntary programme, with few rules on how or where the information should be displayed. The Environmental Transport Association (ETA) has joined a coalition of groups calling for all tyres to have an...

Women are to be encouraged onto bikes at the Cycle Show 2009, which takes place 9th – 11th October at Earls Court. A “Girl’s Guide to Cycling” section of the show will include talks, seminars and demonstrations covering everything from a basic guide to biking right through to competing in races. A spokesperson for the Environmental...

The scrappage scheme has helped boost consumer confidence, according to a group that represents car makers. The Society of Motor Manufacturers claims that the initiative has been a success, with it accounting for at least 25 per cent of new car registrations each month since it was introduced last year. “Bread and circuses” The £2,000 grant...

British Airways chief executive, Willie Walsh, last week presented world leaders at the United Nations forum on climate change in New York with a proposal that would see airlines, airports and aircraft companies work together to cut emissions to 50% below 2005 levels by 2050. However, environmental groups were quick to point out that the...

Facilities for cyclists at railway stations are to benefit from a £14 million investment scheme. 10,000 extra parking spaces for bikes across the country and ten main railway stations at Waterloo, Victoria, St Pancras (in London), Leeds, Sheffield, York, Hull, Grimsby, Scunthorpe and Liverpool Lime Street, will be turned into so-called...

Volvo has revealed details of a plug-in diesel hybrid, which it hopes will be on sale within the next three years. It will be able to cover around 31 miles on battery power alone, with a diesel engine boosting the car’s total range to 745 miles. The hybrid will boast fuel consumption of up to 124mpg and CO2 emissions of 50g/km, but promises...