Transport group urges petrol price rise
Updated on 12 September 2007
Petrol prices should go up to keep carbon emissions down, according to the Government's transport advisers.
The Commission for Integrated Transport (CfIT) called for a "steady increase in fuel price to help control CO2 emissions".
The price of fuel can be a "significant and visible element of overall costs of road transport", added CfIT in its report to the Government on transport and climate change.
The commission said a proposed climate change committee should advise the Government on where and by how much fuel duty may need to increase.
CfIT also urged greater adherence to the 70mph speed limit on the roads, with effective enforcement of the limit possibly saving around one million tonnes of carbon a year.
And it said principles of "eco-driving" - such as accelerating smoothly, not braking sharply and not over-using air conditioning - might be incorporated into the driving test.
CfIT's climate change working group chairman Michael Roberts, who is also director of business environment at the Confederation of British Industry, said: "This report stands out from others by focusing very much on the cost-effectiveness of measures to cut transport carbon emissions.
"Our knowledge in this area needs to improve as it is vital to identifying the best economy-wide approach to meeting the UK's reduction targets.
"It has long been recognised that we need to promote technological and behavioural change to secure reductions in transport emissions.
"This report emphasises the importance of bringing together measures aimed at achieving both.
"The Government's current approach already reflects this but could in our view be developed further to good effect.
"Our aim is to ensure that cost-effectiveness remains a touchstone for policy makers facing the difficult yet necessary choices about how best to reduce the impact of transport on climate change."
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