Motorists want more help with green drive

Evening Chronicle (Newcastle, England), Nov 30, 2007

Byline: By STEVE HUGHES

MORE than three quarters of families in the UK intend to do more to help the environment during the next 12 months.

This is one of the key findings of research by car company Saab, which, together with Ford, offers cars that can run on fuel derived from UK-grown sugar beet.

The Government says that no incentives will be given to motorists to buy or run such green cars "because they should not be necessary."

However, Saab's research suggests that 79% of motorists believe there should be more forecourt outlets for alternative fuels and there should be tax incentives to use them.

The research finds that 60% of people in the UK are going green generally but that the cost makes it financially prohibitive for many people.

More than a third of those questioned said they are not prepared to pay any extra for green products or services. Almost half believe that green goods could be more widely available and three quarters want greater government incentives.

Saab spokesman Joe Oliver, says: "The report seeks to gauge how well-informed Brits are on green matters and to understand the otivations and barriers to leading a more environmentally-friendly lifestyle."

The majority are choosing to be greener out of concern for future generations but 10% are motivated by social image and the desire to look good in front of others. A mere 6% are opting to be more environmentally-friendly as a result of government action.

The Saab ECO-nomics report suggests that women are the eco-warriors with 65% doing the decision-making and encouraging others to opt for environmentally-friendly goods and services. Those ageD between 35 and 44 years old are leading the green charge and the younger generation also have a say in influencing and driving their parents' buying habits.

The report finds that 80% of those questioned have decided on a green resolution for 2008. Almost half of them intend to recycle more, 41% will keep an eye on energy usage in the home and 36% intend to switch to low energy light bulbs. Of those who made green resolutions this year, 90% say they're sticking to them.

Three quarters say that the government should do more in terms of making greener fuels readily available to all and 78% believe there should be tax breaks for greener cars and that environmentally-friendly fuels should be taxed considerably lower than fossil fuels.

Almost 40% of drivers polled cite ignorance about green cars as the main barrier to buying one and 23% do not know where to source one.

Half are concerned about cost and 48% about fuel availability. The Saab BioPower, which can run on environmentally-friendly bioethanol E85 costs pounds 600 more than the standard petrol model. Saab is currently the only car company to offer E85 Flexfuel models across its entire range although Ford offers it on the Focus and C-Max, with the Mondeo, S-Max and Galaxy coming on board next year.