Climate change report targets drivers

• Road charging, lower speed limits
• More incentives to go electric
• Measures could save 5.6 million tonnes of CO2

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Drivers should be hit with higher taxes and lower speed limits, according to the Government-backed body set up to advise on the reduction of CO2 emissions.

The Committee on Climate Change says that motorists should be targeted with dramatically increased taxation, and that policy makers should again consider the controversial subject of road charging.

Pay-to-drive system could slash CO2 emissions
The Committee estimates that a road-charging system in the UK could save 5.6 million tonnes of carbon dioxide a year by 2020.

The report also argues for rigorously enforcing the 70mph motorway speed limit and forcing the introduction of speed limiters to reduce CO2 emissions further.

Calls to cut the motorway limit to 60mph
The Committee even suggests that the Government should consider lowering the motorway speed limit to 60mph to save a further 1.4 million tonnes of CO2 a year.

The report also recommends that the Government should dramatically increase the level of subsidies for electric vehicles, arguing that the first 25,000 EVs sold in the UK should be eligible for a grant of £10,000 each.