Green car industry leads way

British business is green with envy - over the car industry's record on environmental awareness. That's the view of motor trade chiefs, who've praised it for leading the way on ecological issues.

The Society of Motor Man­ufacturers and Traders (SMMT) claims no other branch of industry in this country is so committed to reducing emissions, saving valuable resources and cutting back on waste that's sent to landfill.

In the past four years alone, the average amount of CO2 generated during car manufacturing has been halved, while reliance on landfill sites has been slashed by 78 per cent. And the mood has rub­bed off on customers, too. Dealer­ships have reported seeing a trend among British drivers for buying greener, more fuel-efficient cars - helped by features such as the eco labelling scheme, which shows motorists at-a-glance how environmentally friendly a model is.

"We have embraced our responsibility, and our hi-tech industry should be given a great deal of credit for this progress," said SMMT chief executive Christopher Macgowan. "Also, initiatives have encouraged all drivers to consider the impact of their motoring."

This positive environmental news comes at a time when the UK industry appears to be on an upward curve in terms of expansion. Following news that BMW is to spend £200million develop­ing its MINI plant in Oxfordshire, the SMMT's Nigel Wonnacott told us: "The British car industry is far from dead.

"There have been a few bad news stories, such as Rover and Peugeot, but the future really does look bright."