FORD chief executive Alex Trotman has attacked pressure groups who seek to demonise the car without thinking about the economic consequences for the motor industry. Trotman welcomed Prime Minister Tony Blair's establishment of an environmental task force but attacked the recent agreement on emissions at Kyoto.

'We think Kyoto will impose significant costs on developed economies without achieving a genuine environmental benefit, because it doesn't include commitments from developing nationals,' said Trotman. 'In any event, Ford's work on reliable, affordable, energy-efficient products and technologies will continue. Ian McAllister, chairman of Ford of Britain, was appointed by the Prime Minister to be co-chairman, with Transport Minister Gavin Strang - of the Government's Cleaner Vehicles Task Force - an example of industry and government working together to find effective solutions to transportation needs in the new millennium.

'I believe it will be the automotive industry - our industry's engineers - who will provide the breakthrough technology needed to reconcile society's desires for individual transportation with concern for the environment. We want to make it possible for people to be both environmentalists and car enthusiasts. We don't think it is productive to demonise the car - people aren't going to get out of their cars - but we need to make them as environmentally friendly as possible at a price that the customer can afford.'