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FOE ACCUSES AA OF SELECTIVE DISTORTION OF THE TRUTH

19 Mar 1998

Friends of the Earth today accused the Automobile Association (AA) of selectively distorting the truth over full page advertisements in the Times and the Telegraph.

The AA's ads, in response to Tuesday's Budget 6% fuel duty hike, claim:

“There are more cars on the road but over the last five years
their “greenhouse” emissions haven't risen and toxic gases have fallen by 25%”

However, Friends of the Earth points out that:

• “greenhouse” emissions from road transport rose by a quarter (27%) between 1985 and 1995 [Source: DETR Digest of Environmental Statistics 1997].
• “greenhouse” emissions from road transport are forecast to grow by 37-47%between 1995 and 2020 [Source: DoT Transport Statistics Great Britain 1996].
• the average fuel consumption of new cars has hardly changed, and if anything increased, over the last ten years [Source DoT Transport Statistics Great Britain 1996].
• emissions of small particles, nitrogen oxides and hydrocarbons are not falling fast enough to ensure statutory air quality standards for particles, nitrogen oxides and ozone are met by the Government's target date of 2005. [UK National Air Quality Strategy]

Roger Higman, Senior Transport Campaigner at Friends of the Earth said:

“The AA is being selective in its use of statistics. Looked at over a longer time scale, “greenhouse” emissions from transport are rising and are forecast to continue to rise. Higher fuel duties are essential to encourage motorists to buy more fuel efficient cars and to raise funds for improved public transport. The truth is that Britain needs fewer cars on the road”.

Friends of the Earth also criticised the AA for claiming that “fairness ... must mean motorists getting what they pay for”:

“The AA says 'fairness' must mean motorists getting what they pay for, but where is the fairness in 12-24,000 people being killed every year by air pollution or in 3,500 being killed in road accidents? Where is the fairness for future generations if our car dominated transport policies ruin our landscapes, wreck major wildlife sites and change the climate itself?

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