More than 15 million Brits are planning to take measures to be more environmentally conscious in the year ahead with a shift in driving habits expected as the most popular move, according to an analysis by AA Cars.
Around half of Brits are expected to take steps to be more eco-friendly in 2019, with many making changes to how they own and run cars; one in five (17%) plan to use their car more infrequently for journeys where they can walk or cycle, while one in 10 (9%) intend to buy an ultra-low (ULEV) or zero emissions vehicle (ZEV) in the coming months.
| These fundamental changes to how drivers plan to use their cars topped other green activities like sourcing more local produce (15%), switching to a greener energy supplier (13%) or even cutting down on how much plastic they use (13%). 8% plan to cut down on the amount of water they use while 6% say they intend to eat less red meat.
The AA-Populus poll, which surveyed over 22,000 drivers, also found drivers in London were far more likely (14%) than the average to express their intent to buy a hybrid or electric vehicle in the year ahead – presumably spurred on by historic exemptions for ULEV and ZEVs in the capital, as well as the increasing density of charging points for electric cars. Younger drivers (18-34 year olds) were also more likely to be planning a shift to a greener vehicle in 2019 with 12% saying they intended to do so. |
The London Ultra Low Emissions Zone and Clean Air Zones being introduced in five UK cities will have a limited impact on most fleet operations – and the tone of debate across the industry is sometimes out of proportion to their likely effects, says Arval.
David Watts, fleet consultant at the leasing and fleet management company, points out that only businesses with vehicles that routinely work in London or operate buses or trucks in other CAZ cities will really need to take immediate action. He said, “Some of the more dramatic statements being made across the fleet industry regarding the London ULEZ and potential CAZs in the Government’s original five mandated cities of Birmingham, Derby, Nottingham, Leeds and Southampton are not reflective of their likely effects which, for most fleets, will be minimal. |
These New Year resolutions to go green come a couple of months after an AA Cars poll revealed that nearly a quarter (22%) of drivers planned to switch to an electric or hybrid vehicle for their next car. Separate research also found that charging points are now being installed across the UK at a rate of more than 800 a month.
