Say yes to cheaper van, home and car insurance

A number of drivers in the UK will only become more environmentally-friendly on the roads if it makes sense financially, it has been found.

Some 47 per cent of people intending to buy a ecologically-sound vehicle will do so only if it proves to be cheaper, according to research from What Car?.

"With the cost of living increasing and with wages failing to keep up, car buyers are saying financial pressures are of more concern than helping the environment," commented Steve Fowler, group editor of What Car?.

The money saved from going green can be used to pay for road tax as well as car insurance policies, although some firms could offer discounts to environmentally-friendly drivers.

Meanwhile, London mayor Ken Livingstone earlier this year brought in new rules meaning that motorists will pay more to travel through the centre of the city in high emissions vehicles.