FLEET drivers are showing no interest or knowledge in the carbon dioxide emissions of cars they are choosing - even though it holds the key to reducing their tax bills in future, the Association of Car Fleet Operators' London southern region has been told.

Martin Pye, group fleet sales manager for Page Motors, dealers in Volvo, Volkswagen and Audi, said: 'When fleet drivers come into our showrooms, they are not interested in carbon dioxide emissions, or when they will be introduced. They want to know what the list price is and how much it will drop so they can cut their benefit-in-kind tax payments now. We have put up CO2 figures and other environmental information, but drivers are just interested in the list price because they think that means low tax payments.'

Sue Tonks, committee chairman, who was voted in for another year at the meeting, said: 'We used to have cars based just on whole-life costs, but now we have to go back to the drawing board and look at CO2 emissions and how they affect drivers' tax bills. Cash rich companies may just bring employees' salaries up to off-set any tax increase, but we can't do that.'