Green 2007 for UK vans

Van drivers will hear much more about "eco-safe driving" over the next 12 months as fleet managers will turn their attentions towards reducing the environmental impact of their operations, claims a leading industry expert.

Under pressure from legal and fiscal measures imposed by the government, firms will adopt green transport policies such as hybrid vehicles, bio-fuels and safe, fuel-efficient driver training, predicts Jim Kirkwood, managing director of motoring skills firm DriveTech.

Mr Kirkwood's views come as Gordon Brown put up fuel duty by 1.25 pence earlier this month, partly in response to the Stern review, which calculated that global economic growth could fall by a fifth if nothing is done about global warming.

These concerns were reinforced by research from Mintel, who found that this year 55 per cent of Brits have increased their recycling levels as a wave of environmental concern washed over the UK in 2006.

Helen Osman, head of customer solutions at Mintel, said that the last 12 months have been a "tipping point for the eco-warrior".

"British consumers are clearly becoming more aware of the impact they have on the world around us and are beginning to make changes to their lifestyles," she continued.

However, the research also found that only 11 per cent of Brits had deliberately cut down their motoring to prevent harming the environment.