Archived press release

Foe slams aa over budget claims

30 June 1997

Friends of the Earth lambasted the Automobile Association today over an attempt by its Policy Director, Mr. John Dawson, to undermine a likely increase in fuel duties in next week's Budget [1].

The AA's new report 'Tracking emissions from UK vehicle exhausts' merely restates what Government statistics have already demonstrated: that fitting catalytic convertors to cars has led to lower emissions of toxic gases [2].

Yet these findings cannot be used, as Mr. Dawson attempts, to argue against increasing fuel duties, as fuel duty increases are designed to combat increasing emissions of carbon dioxide [3].

Catalytic convertors do not cut, and may even increase, emissions of carbon dioxide. And Government data shows emissions of carbon dioxide from road transport have increased during the 1990s and are forecast to increase even further [4].

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

"At best, the AA is demonstrating a shocking ignorance of pollution issues. At worst, it is cynically attempting to mislead the public and undermine a central piece of the Government's climate strategy. Either way, there is no excuse for the Government to abandon its policy of increasing fuel taxes."

Friends of the Earth has proposed a package of green tax reforms for the coming Budget,including raising road fuel duties by 8%, cutting company car perks, introducing a new tax on non-residential parking and reforming vehicle excise duty so that dirty gas guzzlers pay more and cleaner, fuel-efficient vehicles pay less [5].

NOTES TO EDITORS:

[1] The Automobile Association's new report "Tracking emissions from UK vehicle exhausts" is published on Monday, 30 June 1997. In the press release issued to launch the report, the AA's Policy Director, Mr John Dawson claims that "adding 5%extra tax to fuel every year" is a "dubious and inefficient practice" ("AA study starts to clear the air on car pollution").

[2] The AA press release claims its study reveals "the first tangible success of a practical environment policy": that emissions of toxic pollutants from road transport are falling. Yet standard Government statistics have already shown that decrease for many years (see attachment No. 1 from Transport Statistics Great Britain 1996).

Of course, there is still a case for further reductions in vehicle emissions because air quality in the UK regularly exceeds Government recommended levels.

[3] The 5% per year real increase in fuel duties was first introduced by the Conservatives in 1993. It was "to reflect wider costs and help to meet the UK carbon dioxide target" (UK Strategy for Sustainable Development 1994 Chapter 26).

[4] Attachment No. 2 shows that, even during the recession when traffic growth was low, carbon dioxide emissions from the road transport sector increased from 1990-1994. Since then further increases are likely to have occurred as traffic growth has increased.

Under the 1992 Rio Convention, the UK is committed to stabilizing carbon dioxide emissions from all sectors at 1990 levels by 2000. The 5% per year increase in fuel duties is th Government's principal measure for achieving this stability from the transport sector.

The latest Government forecasts suggest carbon dioxide emissions from the transport sector are likely to increase from about 35-36 million tonnes of carbon to 48-53 million tonnes of carbon by 2020 (see attachment 3).

[5] Friends of the Earth's 'Blueprint for a Green Budget' is available from the FOE Press Office.

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