CAR PLAN TOO LITTLE, TOO SHORT TERM - HUHNE

12.00.00am GMT Sun 11th Mar 2007

Commenting on the launch today [Sunday] of the Government's new "Smarter Driving" campaign to "Act on CO2", Liberal Democrat Shadow Environment Secretary, Chris Huhne MP said:

"Providing information online about how drivers can cut carbon emissions, and money, by simple measures like ensuring tyres are always fully inflated does no harm, but is unlikely to achieve anywhere near the £2bn savings being talked about if everyone was to change behaviour in this way.

"If we are all to act on cutting CO2 then information alone will not be enough. There needs to be proper incentives for drivers to choose less polluting vehicles in the first place.

"We need green taxes to encourage people to use more environmentally-friendly cars and ensure that aviation is sustainable, whilst using the revenue to cut income tax for average families and the least well off.

"The Liberal Democrats are the only party with clear plans for fairer and greener, but not higher taxes to change our behaviour and safeguard the planet for our children."