Dunwoody: Calling for cleaner cars

MPs have warned that car drivers must face up to the reality of global warming.

In a new report the transport select committee says road users must become aware of their contribution to the environmental crisis.

The committee calls for the government to support the development and manufacture of "cleaner, greener and safer cars".

The MPs recommend more grants to help people buy the cleanest cars available. They also say tax levels should discourage people from buying the most polluting cars.

Gwyneth Dunwoody, the Labour chairman of the committee, said the technological potential of green cars was "stunning".

"The government must ensure that incentives encourage manufacturers to introduce cleaner technologies and safety systems in cars, which consumers are then encouraged to buy," she said.

"The government does not need to be prescriptive; the car industry is capable of bringing forward the best solution.

"The UK must not miss the opportunity to have cars on our roads within the next decade that prevent someone driving if they are drunk, uninsured or untaxed."

The MPs say the government should not be afraid to legislate to meet environmental targets that are now way off track.

"Past experience shows that stringent rules can drive major technological improvements," says the committee in the report.

The MPs claim the government has invested "trivial" amounts in  developing low carbon technologies - which the committee says is "an area that should be a major commercial opportunity for the UK".