DEPUTY Prime Minister John Prescott wants to use Britain's presidency of the European Union to initiate a green transport revolution across the continent. The Secretary of State for the Environment, Transport and the Regions said issues such as air quality and global warming were near the top of the agenda for Britain's six-month spell as head of the union.

Prescott's hit list includes dirty diesel engines and high sulphur fuels and he is also believed to be attempting to broker a deal with the car manufacturers to double vehicles' fuel efficiency by 2010. If carried through, his measures could result in higher fuel and car prices as oil companies are compelled to further refine their fuels and manufacturers forced to fit more sophisticated emissions reduction equipment to their cars.

He said there was considerable public concern about air quality across the EU but only Europe-wide measures would make a real difference. Prescott also wants to extend his vision of an integrated transport policy on to the European arena and will be discussing the subject with other member states.