Accelerating smoothly and turning off your car's air conditioning could help to save the environment, according to a government report published today.

The Commission for Integrated Transport (CfIT) outlined a set of recommendations which propose that driving techniques can be as important as the carbon dioxide emission of cars themselves.

One of the commission’s proposals is for drivers to have state-sponsored lessons in “eco-driving”, suggesting that practices such as accelerating evenly, not braking sharply and not over using air conditioning should be incorporated into the driving test.

The report also recommends that the government should seek to promote greater adherence to the 70mph speed limit on the roads. The CfIT said 56 per cent of drivers exceed the 70mph limit on motorways, with 19 per cent of them going at speeds of more than 80mph. Such enforcement, they suggested, could save around one million tonnes of carbon (MtC) a year.

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Other proposals within the report could see motorists face significant petrol price rises.

A "steady increase in fuel price is essential to help control CO2 emissions", the CfIT said in the report today. “The price of fuel can be a "significant and visible element of overall costs of road transport".

The commission said the new climate change committee proposed by the Government should advise the Government on where and by how much fuel duty may need to increase.

Times Transport correspondent Ben Webster gets a lesson in smooth driving

Other techniques for reducing your environmental impact

The commute

If you work within 2km (slightly less than 1¼ miles) of your home, try getting up earlier and walking or cycling to the office. If you have a longer commute, take the bus, Underground or train.

The following table to shows weekly carbon savings if you switch from driving to alternative modes of transport. Multiply the CO figure for travel by train, bus or Underground by the number of kilometres travelled each month. Then calculate your savings by deducting this figure from the total you would have incurred if you had driven.

Car emissions during rush hour are much higher than the daily average — 339g/km rather than 180g/km for an average-size petrol car.

The carbon commute — CO^² emissions*

By car - 339g for 1km

By diesel train — 98g for 1km

By Underground — 65g for 1km

By single-decker bus — 66g for 1km

By foot/bicycle — 0g for 1km

* emissions during peak commuting hours

If you’re not sure how long your journey is and you live in London, visit www.walkit.com which will work out the distance for you. Outside the capital, use the AA’s website at www.theaa.com/travelwatch/planner_ main.jsp to get distances between destinations nationwide.

Here are some sample savings if you leave your car in the garage:

Carbon savings per year

For a daily 12km round-trip commute: train = 51kg, bus = 57kg; Tube = 58kg

For a 4km round-trip walk to work: 24kg

For a 12km daily round trip by bicycle: 71kg

Want to know more?

www.transport2000.org.uk www.eta.co.uk

Top 5 carbon-light petrol cars

Toyota Prius — 104g/km

Honda Civic Hybrid — 109g/km

Citroën C — 109g/km

Toyota Aygo — 109g/km

Peugot 107 — 109g/km

Download and print-out these pdfs: Low Carbon Diet monthly planner | Your carbon weight calculator