Department for Transport “lunacy”

Road Safety Minister Jim Fitzpatrick has claimed having vehicle lights on increases fuel consumption by 5%.

“Research undertaken for the Department for Transport indicated that the requirement for new types of motor vehicle to be equipped with dedicated daytime running lamps would result in an increase of about 5% in fuel consumption,” he said.

The statement was in response to a question on the issue from Conservative MP Greg Knight.

Campaigner Idris Francis said the claim was “lunacy” and that the real figure was closer to 0.07%.

DfT figures were behind recent claims from MPs that 40% of motorcycles are untaxed. 

See the fuel consumption claim here: www.theyworkforyou.com/wrans/?id=2008-02-25a.188257.h&s=speaker%25