Charges not the answer to reducing car journeys

As green issues begin to dominate the public agenda, only six in ten (59%) motorists would be prepared to give up their cars for just a part of one day a week in order to help reduce greenhouse gases according to new research published by swiftcover.com. This leaves 13.2 million drivers that wouldn’t give up their car to help the environment.

The findings of the research into drivers’ attitudes towards green driving and financial incentives to reduce car use strongly suggest the government’s strategy of using fiscal measures to encourage motorists to cut their car use is misdirected.

When it comes to the key issue of reducing their car journeys, over one in four (27%) motorists say they would not drive their car less even if their overall motoring costs doubled. Petrol prices at double their current level would not deter most either - half of all drivers (57%) report this still would not encourage them to drive less.

However, of the four in ten (43%) motorists who would reduce their car use as a result of a dramatic petrol price increase, the average driver would only cut out one in four of their car journeys. Nationally, this would reduce the amount of greenhouses gases emitted by the UK by just 0.01%.

The research also found:

A national congestion charge wouldn’t cut car use - 63% of Brits would not drive their car less if a congestion charge was introduced in their area.

A cost per mile tax would be the most effective measure in encouraging motorists’ to drive their car less - the average driver says they would travel 35 miles a week less by car if a levy for every mile driven was introduced. In reality however, this is just half of the average distance travelled by car a week per person.

A staggering 97% of the UK’s drivers say they would consider buying a ‘green’ car, although three quarters of drivers would only do so if they were cheaper to buy (73%) and cheaper to run than their current car (70%).

67% of motorists would switch to an environmentally friendly car if ‘green’ refuelling and recharging stations were more widely available.

Andrew Blowers, Chief Executive Officer of swiftcover.com, comments: “The research overwhelming proves Britain’s drivers, although open to buying an environmentally-friendly car, are simply unable to give-up the car for the essential journeys in their daily lives. Furthermore, even if fiscal penalties were introduced that were hefty enough to move motorists to reduce car use, this would only result in a miniscule reduction in the production of greenhouse gases.

“We should face up to the fact that financial levies to discourage car use are not the answer to this country’s serious environmental issue of greenhouse gases production.”

Blowers continued: “A more effective strategy to reduce harmful gases would be for the government to work with fuel suppliers and car manufacturers to reduce the cost of environmentally friendly cars and increase the availability of refuelling stations. This would not only reduce the amount of harmful gases emitted by cars but would do so without having to prize drivers away from their cars.”

Discount for Green Drivers

In support of encouraging more environmentally-friendly drivers, swiftcover.com has introduced a 10% discount for people who drive ‘greener’ cars. Drivers of the Honda Civic, Honda Insight, Lexis GS, Lexus RX and Toyota Prius with hybrid engines will receive a 10% discount on their car insurance premiums if they buy online with swiftcover.com.