A COMBINATION of carefully considered carrots and sticks will be needed to persuade company car drivers to reduce their dependence on their vehicles according to a new survey. 'Getting Around - Travel Choice and Behaviour' draws together data from a number of authoritative national and international sources such as the AA, RAC, Lex Service, Transport 2000 and the National Travel Survey.

Compiled from existing information and studies by the Scottish Consumer Council on behalf of the Scottish Office, the report identifies company car drivers as using their vehicles more intensively than their private counterparts for both business and private mileage. But the report also suggests that a significant proportion of company car drivers would be responsive to alternative travel solutions if encouraged to use them by punitive taxes on motoring and incentives to use public transport.

According to National Travel Survey data, company cars are the most intensively used cars in Britain, recording an annual private mileage of 10,730 miles compared with 7,620 miles for private cars. It suggests commuting accounts for almost a fifth of all mileage.