THE Government is more car-friendly than fleets think and understands the essential transport role it plays in business, delegates at the First National Vehicle Contracts conference, Agenda for Action, heard. Peter Snape, Labour MP for West Bromwich East and chairman of bus company Travel West Midlands, who is a company car driver, said: 'The debate we have on transport has got to include the company car.'

'Company cars are a fairly emotive subject and there is a need for a grown-up debate on car use. However, the Government is not anti-car. We have to start somewhere to curb car use, but we know people won't switch unless there is an alternative.'

In a step-by-step defence of the Government's proposals, he countered fears over rail safety which might deter passengers, pointing out that the equivalent of three Paddington rail crashes had occurred on the roads since that disaster, without any comment from the public. He added: 'We have to start from here and make use of alternative transport work. Only by marrying roads and alternative transport are we going to combat the growing numbers of vehicles on our roads.'