It is not just Peugeot that is taking the eco-driving challenge this morning, the Government has launched a new proposal that could see lorry drivers take eco-driving training as part of their qualification for a LGV licence.
The new plans to encourage lorry drivers to take up eco-driver training could save up to 3 million tonnes of CO2 over five years and £300 million in fuel costs, according to Transport Minister Paul Clark.
The plans – which include making eco driver training for LGV drivers a mandatory part of the EU Driver Certificate of Professional Competence (Driver CPC) – aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the freight sector. The proposals could enable around 90 per cent of lorry drivers to receive eco-driver training while promotion of the benefits of eco-driving training would help encourage greater take up of the training among employers.
Paul Clark said: “We are absolutely committed to reducing emissions from across the transport sector. Given that 20 per cent of all transport emissions come from road freight, these drivers must be a priority.
“With initiatives like this I am confident we will succeed in creating a greener and cleaner industry fit to meet the environmental challenges we face.”
A consultation into the proposed plans opens today and runs for around 16 weeks. It can be accessed from the Department for Transport (DfT) website: http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/open/2010-11/
The measures support a commitment by the DfT to save an additional 85 million tonnes of CO2 from domestic transport from 2018-2022.
The consultation also considers the possibility of making the eco-driving training a mandatory part of bus drivers CPC.
Emissions from freight movements stem primarily from the road sector, with Large Goods vehicles (LGVs) representing 20 per cent of total domestic transport greenhouse gas emissions.
