THE company car is again in the firing line from environmental groups as speculation grows that the new Government is about to propose a raft of anti-car legislation. The DoT has already launched one consultation document outlining proposals which include closing congested sections of motorway to private cars. Another paper - containing even more stringent anti-car measures - is expected to be published later this month.

'What Role for Trunk Roads in England?' proposes 'traffic-metering' busy sections of the M25, M6, M42 and other motorways at peak periods by preventing certain types of vehicle join from the slip roads. At the same time, a new Friends of the Earth publication portrays the car - especially the company car - as the root of all transport evil.

Written by transport journalist Christian Wolmar, 'Unlocking the Gridlock' says the company car market leads to an additional one million vehicles on UK roads and slams company car users for covering unnecessary mileage and 'kamikaze' driving.

The report says the current tax banding system encourages extra mileage and claims that as many as 250,000 company car drivers are fiddling the Inland Revenue. It further suggests that company car drivers run bigger, gas-guzzling vehicles laden with unnecessary extras and are much more likely to be involved in road accidents.