Reacting to protests over fuel price increases, Greenpeace executive director John Sauven said:
"There are ways around the fuel price increases that are good news for the climate and good news for drivers' pockets. Keeping your speed below 55 can save more money than the recent price hikes and cut CO2 as well. But in the long run the government needs to force car manufacturers to build more efficient vehicles. As it is Brown has failed to take a lead in Brussels where talks on vehicle efficiency are coming to head."
- Greenpeace supports the fuel escalator, but wants to see the receipts used to make public transport cheaper and better.
- Greenpeace also believes the retrospective application of VED banding based on efficiency was a mistake. It's the kind of measure that gives green taxes a bad name because it does not change behaviour. The new VED band taxes should apply to new cars, but be a lot tougher in penalising the most polluting vehicles - taxing the worst gas guzzlers at £2000 per year.
ENDS
For more information, contact the Greenpeace press office on 0207 865 8255.
