FLEET drivers remain wedded to their company cars, regardless of the Government's efforts to promote alternative modes of transport. An overwhelming majority of 1,235 drivers questioned in a new survey by Newcourt Automotive Services said that additional burdens on the motorist would actually convince them to use their cars more frequently.

Some 84% of drivers said they would pay for their motoring despite the threat of road charging and motorway tolls. Almost three quarters (73%) of drivers said the company car still represented a benefit compared to the tax paid, and only a substantially increased salary would encourage them to examine other options.

Colin Tourick, managing director of Newcourt Automotive Services, said: 'Cars have become a way of life in the UK. The public transport outside big cities is simply not up to the job and people who need to travel have little or no choice to their mode of transport. Cars are still the quickest and most cost-effective form of transport.'

Drivers are, however, becoming more discerning in the cars they drive, with only 6% choosing a car for its badge alone. Practicality dominates the selection criteria, cited by 29% of company car drivers as their main consideration when choosing a car, followed by luxury (21%), power (17%), price (10%). Only 4% identified a car's fuel consumption as their principal consideration in picking a car, emphasising the degree to which the Government has failed to convince drivers to treat green issues more seriously.