Tesco: Green road tax cuts will work

New research by Tescocompare.com has found that 6% of the UK’s motorists claim to be driving a ‘green’ car.

The car insurance price comparison site also discovered that two thirds of motorists would consider going green if it meant cheaper motoring costs.

The greenest drivers in the UK are found in Wales and the South West, where 12% of car owners deliberate choose the most eco-friendly vehicles.

Motorists in these regions are three times greener than those in London, where only 4% of drivers choose a car because of its environmental credentials.

The research established that motorists prefer to be encouraged into green motoring through tax incentives rather than being penalised for their current vehicles through tax increases.

62% of drivers said they would consider going green if it meant lower motoring costs. Only 21% said they would consider going green if road tax increased on fuel inefficient vehicles.

However, recent government figures released by the Conservatives question the validity of these results.

The Conservatives found that the new Government car tax system - which heavily incentivises green motoring - is likely to reduce carbon emissions output from vehicles by less than 1%.

This is because people are unlikely to trade in their vehicles for greener models, despite what they might say in a survey.