British drivers bullied by proposed showroom tax

British motorists believe they are being bullied into buying green cars, according to new research by swiftcover.com, the UK’s only dedicated online insurance company.

More than half (57 per cent) of the people surveyed said they felt they were being forced to consider lower emission cars if the government approves the proposed £2,000 “Showroom Tax” on Budget Day. Of those considering buying a car in the next year, 68 per cent said they would be influenced by the proposed new tax.

However the research also found that consumers are not choosing to buy green cars because of the limited choice of environmentally-friendly models currently on the market. For those planning to buy a car within the next 12 months, only 17 per cent said there was a low emissions vehicle on the market which meets their personal or family’s requirements.

While almost all respondents agreed that lower emission cars are the way forward, three quarters (74 per cent) of drivers polled agreed that the government is penalising drivers rather than introducing positive incentives to buy green cars.

Respondents outlined the measures they thought would work to get people to drive lower emission cars:

47 per cent said a wider choice of green cars is needed
23 per cent said the government should put pressure on manufacturers to develop greener cars
21 per cent thought tax incentives or government subsidies should be offered
4 per cent opted for an amnesty to remove older cars from the road

“While environmentally friendly and alternative fuel cars are the future, British drivers have yet to fully embrace green motoring. As a car insurance company, we incentivise drivers of hybrid cars with a 10% discount; however, more is needed to help drivers make the transition,” says Craig Staniland, underwriting director of swiftcover.com.

The research also found that 42 per cent of people looking to buy a new car this year have looked into buying a green or fuel efficient model.

The research was carried out via Survey Monkey in March 2008 and polled 420 drivers throughout the UK.