CONGRATULATIONS Miss Jones, you’ve passed your driving test — now get on your bike. Officials are planning to make the driving test eco-friendly by asking learners not just how to operate a car but whether they should be using one at all.

Under plans to be introduced next year, candidates will face a series of “green” questions in the theory part of the test.

Drivers may be asked to consider such issues as: could the journey be better made by bus, train or bike? Is a 4x4 or a smaller car more suitable for town centre driving? On a hot day, is opening a window more fuel efficient than using the air conditioning?

“There’s a whole generation of people who never even think about the environmental issues surrounding the car and its use,” said Trevor Wedge, Britain’s chief driving examiner. “But if we put that on the syllabus, people are more likely to give it some thought.

“I live in a village and I’m amazed when I walk the dogs on a Sunday morning how many people drive three-quarters of a mile to the newsagent, whereas if they used the footpath they would have a two-minute walk.”

Wedge added: “Is the journey that you’re making really necessary? And if it is, what’s the most effective and efficient mode of transport to use? It might be the railway, it might be a pushbike or it might be walking.

“It’s about assessing whether a candidate is aware of the environmental impact of the decisions that they make.”

The proposal to place greater emphasis on the environment in the theory test is contained in a consultation document published by the Driving Standards Agency (DSA). The agency wants to increase the number of questions in the test from 35 to 50, raising the cost of the written examination by £7 to £28.50.

The new questions have not yet been drawn up and Wedge says advances in technology could mean the test will become more sophisticated. It may involve more complex answers than multiple-choice responses.

The DSA is also considering how to incorporate environmental concerns into the practical part of the test. From 2008, candidates may be assessed on eco-driving techniques which are already used in other European countries such as Holland.

DSA research has shown that smoother driving, avoiding harsh acceleration and heavy braking, could cut fuel consumption by up to 17%. Ministers are keen to find new ways of reducing pollution from road transport, which accounts for up to a quarter of Britain’s carbon dioxide emissions.

Although candidates will not fail their tests for driving in a non-environmentally friendly manner, they will be asked to use cruise control systems where applicable, avoid unnecessary gear changes and to move up into a higher gear earlier.

“This is the way learner drivers will be taught to drive,” said Wedge. “They won’t think of it as eco-driving. It will just be the correct way to drive.”

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