Pan-European drive to cut fuel consumption

The European Commission has launched a pan-European promotion to encourage greener driving habits. More than 45,000 petrol stations across 29 countries will take part in the “Save More Than Fuel” campaign.

Millions of leaflets will be distributed and a website has been created offering ten key tips that could help cut motorists’ fuel consumption by almost a third, the EC claims.

Drivers are advised to check oil and tyre pressure regularly, close windows when travelling at high speeds, remove unnecessary weight from back seats and drive smoothly, among other things. The initiative is being supported by the European Petroleum Industry Association, whose members include Gulf, Q8 Petroleum and Tesco.

The European Union (EU) has committed to reducing its greenhouse gas emissions by 20% by 2020. An EC spokesman says that in trials at an “eco” driving school, motorists were able to cut their fuel consumption from 7.3 litres per 100 kilometres to 5 litres.