CO2 emissions from average car 'fell by steepest amount in 2009'

Date: 12/3/2010

Carbon dioxide emissions from the average car fell by the steepest amount in a single year, according to the head of communications for the Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership.

Neil Wallis from the action and advisory group stated that there has been sustained progress over a number of years in carbon reductions of cars in the UK.

He explained that the emissions fall was due to a number of factors, including the recession, which forced people to focus more on cutting driving costs.

The car scrappage scheme also reduced the average carbon emissions of a car, because people were trading their old cars for new, smaller ones that require less petrol.

However, Mr Wallis suggested that even without this scheme, emissions were likely to drop during this period, partly due to European legislation, which has mandated that emissions must fall over the coming years.

The head of communications was responding to the release of the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, which stated the average new car sold in the UK last year emitted 149.5 grams per kilometre, a 5.4 per cent reduction on 2008 figures.